


Chuck Vs The Jock Next Door

by Ambear9



Series: Chuck vs Songs [13]
Category: Chuck (TV)
Genre: Alex is John's sister, Billy is the male version of Jill, M/M, Neighbors, they are all in high school
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:54:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 29,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22566610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ambear9/pseuds/Ambear9
Summary: Mary Bartowski and Elizabeth Casey were best friends who lived next door to each other, so when they got pregnant at the same time with boys, they were so excited to have their kids grow up together.The title was a joke because I had no idea what to call this, and I still don't so I kept it.In Case You Didnt Know -Brett YoungBest Shot - Jimmy Allen*Spotify playlist for serieshttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/164HFYxzXUuBYnETZO5zNz?si=8phJDPvrSQWL6Z0UTH7Lew
Relationships: Chuck Bartowski/Bryce Larkin, Chuck Bartowski/John Casey, John Casey/Ilsa Trinchina
Series: Chuck vs Songs [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1693696
Comments: 8
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't tag as underage because even though they are in high school and talk about sexual stuff, there is no detail just normal conversations between friends.

Chuck smiled when he saw the whiteboard in his neighbor's window again, it had been awhile.  
‘Hey nerd what’s the fuck is the answer for #14 on the math homework. Been on this for hours’  
Chuck laughed. He grabbed his binder and looked over the question, then wrote out the problem on his whiteboard and put it up in his window.

Chuck doesn’t remember when the whiteboard thing started, but he and Johnny have been friends since they were born, their moms met in middle school and have been best friends ever since. Chuck’s parents got married and bought a house, then a few years later Casey’s parents got married and bought the house next door.  
Then Chuck’s parents, Mary and Stephen, got pregnant and had a daughter named Ellie, then three years later Casey’s parents, Elizabeth and James announced they were pregnant and due in February, then a few months later Mary found out she was expecting a baby in September. Both of them had boys and were so excited that their sons could grow up together and be best friends. Then a month after Chuck turned one, Johnny's little sister Alexandra born and of course Liz and Mary started planning the Casey-Bartowski wedding.

Since Chuck was born at the end of September, Johnny would be going into kindergarten alone, both boys were upset. But Elizabeth was a middle school teacher and knew the principal at the elementary school and she convinced them to let Chuck test for kindergarten and he passed with flying colors and Chuck was happy he got to go to school, they even met two new friends, Sarah and Morgan. It was the four of them, then when Johnny was thirteen it all changed, yeah he had kind of separated from the group when he started playing football and they played video games and chess. But when he lost his dad his world fell apart, he was raised to hide his emotions and "be a man" so when he lost his best friend he had no idea how to deal with it so he just pushed his friends away.  
He stopped talking to everyone, he went to school and played football then would lock himself in his room.  
Chuck went to the funeral and tried talking to him but it didn't work, he wrote notes on his window whiteboard everyday but never got a reply. He was supposed to be doing math homework but the graph papers were distracting and so instead he was drawing little 8-bit figures. Then he got an idea, he grabbed his stack of small rainbow post-it notes that he bought randomly awhile ago and never used. He cleared off his desk and sat down on top of it. It took a good hour but when he was done, he was proud of himself. It was Captain America's shield but instead if a star in the middle he put a heart.  
Chuck had always looked up to Mr. Casey, he was a Marine and Chuck thought it was so cool and always called him Captain America and since Chuck's dad was in and out of his life Mr. Casey was there for him, so he was also struggling with the loss and he just wanted to talk to John.  
It wasn't long before Chucks computer dinged

JCasey19: take it down

Chuckbacca: no

JCasey19: I don't wanna see that 

Chuckbacca: then keep your blinds shut and ignore us like you have been doing 

JediMG: what did I miss???

JCasey19: doesn't involve you Grimes

JediMG: Then don't put it in our group chat

Chuckbacca: [image]  
Chuckbacca: just made some art on my window.

SarahInSpace: that's so nice Chuck ❤  
SarahInSpace: we all miss your dad Johnny, ignoring us hurts even more

JCasey19: stop calling me Johnny  
JCasey19: he is my dad, don't act like you all know my pain.

Chuckbacca: we aren't saying we feel the same pain but we are hurting. He was more of a dad to me than my own dad and he was a big part of all of our lives so losing him then you being a hermit hurts too.

JCasey19: don't care  
He logged off.

SarahinSpace: sorry Chuck

Chuckbacca: it's fine.

JediMG: want to come over and help me with this English paper and then play some video games?  
JediMG: mom said she will make us pizza

Chuckbacca: your mom makes the best pizza, I'll bike by the gas station for grape soda on my way

SarahinSpace: I'll bring sugary snacks.

It's been weeks and John still hadn't talked to them, Chuck change the post-it picture to a blue and white football with the number 19 in the middle and on his whiteboard he wrote good luck, go bulldogs.  
It was the last homecoming game of their middle school career, they didn't go to the dance but Chuck, Morgan, and Sarah had always gone all out with their support for John and the rest of the team for every game. But this was a huge game, it was one of the best seasons in a long time and the last time the school won the homecoming game was twelve years ago, and with the way Johnny, or Casey as he likes to be called now, was playing, they were predicting a win.  
The three of them made shirts with the number 19 on it, they had already had a few but Sarah wanted to make new tie-dye ones and she even put some temporary blue dye in her hair, Chuck and Morgan didn’t know why until she made her shirt with the number seven on it for their new friend Bryce Larkin who had moved to town a few months after school started, he fit in well with their group because not only was he a nerd, he was great at every sport.  
They took their normal spots in the stands, Chuck waved over and Ellie who was talking with the cheerleaders who would be freshman next year, she was about to be a junior and in the talks of being the next head cheerleader.  
They won the game and Casey made the final touchdown that made them win the game. Casey hated all the attention, but he was already getting offers from colleges to play for them.

LuckLarkin7: anyone up for some chess?

Chuckbacca: Always

JediMG: I have raids scheduled in WOW sorry

CheerOnSW: I have practice

Chuckbacca: I like your old name better Sar

CheerOnSW: I didn’t ask.

JCasey19: don’t play chess 

Chuckbacca: you used to be the best in our group

JCasey19: some of us grew up 

LuckyLarkin7: woah, harsh dude, I’ll get some snacks and come over Chucky, be there in like 15

Chuckbacca: You win the homecoming game and now you are too grown up for chess 🙄🙄

JCasey19: Call me dude again ill shove a football down your throat at the next practice.

JediMG: Did anyone else hear Casey’s growl in their head when he said that?

Chuckbacca: yup

LuckyLarkin7: 100%

CheerOnSW: sure did

LexiPi: I think I heard it and I'm down the hall 

JCasey19: 🖕🖕🖕🖕  
JCasey19: one for all of you assholes,

Chuckbacca: Maybe you should change your name to JBear19

JediMG: I agree

LuckyLarkin7: Do it

CheerOnSW: Yes

JCasey19: I don't growl and I'm not a bear.

Chuckbacca: Keep telling yourself that Yogi

LexiPi: Yogi, that's amazing

JCasey19: I hate all of you.

“You doing okay Chucky? You look bummed”  
“I’m not a killer doll with red hair, and I’m fine, just miss Johnny sometimes” Chuck was looking out his window over to Casey's where is curtains were shut.  
“Don’t let him hear you call him that”  
“Yeah well the last time he was Johnny was the last time we were best friends”  
“Are you friends with his sister? I think I remember hearing about an arranged marriage?”  
Chuck laughed “Yeah, Alex, she is LexiPi in the group chat, but no, we will never get married, she isn’t my type and her and Morgan have been talking” Chuck sat up the chess table on his desk and started pulling out the pieces. “Casey’s dad made this for us, he did all the pieces by hand” Chuck moved the piece around between his fingers, trying not to tear up at the intials carved into the bottom of the king. He missed James Casey so much still, he can’t imagine how John is feeling.  
“What’s up with this?” Bryce grabbed the whiteboard out of the window.  
“We used to write things to each other, our moms' idea, we don’t use it as much anymore since we got computers, but sometimes the nostalgia is nice”  
Bryce grabbed the board out of the window and one of the markers.  
“What are you writing?”  
“Don’t worry about it?” he wrote something down and put it back where it was.

After an hour of playing with no end in sight, Bryce suggested they take a break and come back to it, they sat down on Chuck’s bed so they would watch some t.v.  
“Have your eye on any girls this year?”  
“Nope”  
“Not even Sarah?”  
“Dude, no, she is like my sister”  
“Your sister is hot”  
“Gross, and she is with Devon”  
“But she is a cheerleader and can help us get with a cheerleader”  
“No thanks, cheerleaders aren’t my type”  
“What is your type”  
“Uh not sure” he lied, he knew exactly what his type was.  
“Am I your type?”  
Chuck’s eyes went wide “Uh what?”  
“Chuck I’m bi, you don’t have to hide who you are from me”  
“I’ve never talked about it out loud before, how did you know?”  
Bryce shrugged “Just guessed”  
“Please don’t tell anyone, I’m not ready to come out”  
“Have you ever kissed someone?”  
“One time I kissed Sarah but it was just a quick peck, nothing crazy”  
“Can I kiss you”  
“Um, I’m not really sure, I’m more of a commitment person”  
“Well I was thinking of starting with a kiss to see how we both feel then if we both like it then we can date”  
“Okay,” Chuck shrugged.  
Bryce leaned forward, gently cupping Chuck’s face, Chuck’s heart felt like it was going to jump out of his chest when their lips touched.  
He wasn’t really sure what to do but he felt Bryce’s lips part and his tongue pushed at Chuck’s lips, so he opened his mouth to allow Bryce’s tongue in. It took awhile but Chuck figured it out.  
“Um wow”  
Bryce laughed “You like that?”  
“Yes,” Chuck blushed.  
“So you wanna date?”  
“It has to be a secret, no one knows I’m gay and I don’t really want to be out right now”  
“Yeah of course”

Chuck had an amazing summer with Bryce, Sarah, Morgan and Alex, Casey even joined them a few times. In private him and Bryce would kiss and hold hands, they would go out on dates and hold hands in the dark theater or under the table at a restaurant, no one knew, it was kind of thrilling.  
Then their sophomore year started and Chuck felt like his world was crumbling around him.  
Like every day for the past two weeks of school Chuck went to wait by Bryce’s locker so they could walk to their science class together, but when he turned the corner Sarah was leaning up against Bryce’s locker, as he got closer he noticed Bryce was coming from the other direction, so he stopped to see what would happen.  
Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, Chuck watched as Bryce’s hands gripped her hips and pulled her body closer.  
Chuck felt like he couldn’t breathe.

Chuckbacca: I need to talk to you, where are you?

JCasey19: Heading to class, what's up?

Chuckbacca: having a panic attack in the hallway

JCasey19: Which hallway?  
JCasey19: Answer me, Chuck

Casey ran down the halls until he heard his name being called to the office over the intercom, so he turned and ran towards the office, when he got there Ms. Woods at the front desk pointed him to the nurse's office.  
Chuck was sitting on the little cot trying to catch his breath, the nurse kneeling in front of him trying to calm him down with a breathing exercise.  
“I was called here”  
“Are you Casey?”  
He nodded “yes ma’am”  
“He has been saying your name, not sure what triggered him”  
Casey kneeled down in front of him “Hey Chuck, what’s going on?”  
“He said he loved him”  
Casey raised a brow “I’m not following”  
“Bryce, we have been dating and he said he loved me but he was” Chuck took a few shaky breaths “He was just kissing Sarah”  
“You and Bryce?”  
“I’m gay” he whispered  
“Oh”  
Chuck started crying “Just leave me alone, you have been a shitty friend since we started high school, I don’t know why I asked for you”  
Casey looked at the nurse “Can I drive him home?”  
“We will need to confirm with his parents”  
Casey pulled out his phone and dialed her number.  
“Hey Mama Bartowski, Chuck is having a panic attack at school, I need permission to drive him home” he handed the nurse the phone and they talked for a mintue then she handed Casey back the phone and told him he could take Chuck home.

Casey walked with Chuck up to his room, Chuck hadn’t said anything since they left the school, he kicked off his shoes and crawled into bed and covered his head with the comforter.  
“Chuck, can we talk?”  
“Now you want to talk, what a joke”  
“Why didn't you tell me?”  
“I didn’t tell anyone, at all”  
“It doesn’t make a difference to me, I don’t care what your sexuality is”  
“Cool,” Chuck huffed.  
Chuck and Casey’s phones starting chiming with message alerts

JediMG: Chuck what the hell is going on?

LexiPi: Chuck are you okay?

JediMG: Fuck you Bryce and your stupid fucking face.

LuckyLarkin7: You’re mad at me?  
LuckyLarkin7: not my fault your best friend is a creep

JediMG: You’re lying

LukcyLarkin7: You mad your bff didn’t tell you he was gay? Not my fault

LexiPi: We don’t care if Chuck is gay or straight or whatever, we love him no matter what, that’s what real friendship is,  
LexiPi: We are mad that you are spreading rumors that we know are not true

JediMG: How dare you Sarah  
JediMG: You are going to sit there and shove your tongue in his mouth and be okay with him saying all this horrible stuff

CheerOnSW: I have no idea what is going on, Bryce and I have been dating for a few weeks.

“Maybe don’t look at your phone”  
“Oh no, what’s going on”  
“Let me go back to school and figure it out”  
“If you punch him can you send me a picture?  
“Will do, I’ll come check on you later”  
“Thank Johnny”  
Casey let him call him that just this once without correcting him.

Chuckbacca: The truth is I’m gay, and I’m sorry I hid it from my best friends  
Chuckbacca: I’ve blocked Bryce from the app,  
Chuckbacca: He came over at the start of summer and he told me he was bi and he kissed me and asked me to be his boyfriend  
Chuckbacca: I have zero reasons to lie. As far as I knew we were still dating until I saw him kissing Sarah today.

CheerOnSW: I’m sorry Chuck, I had no idea

JediMG: He is telling everyone you are stalking him and tried kissing him over the summer

Chuckbacca: Sorry Sarah but for now I’m going to block you from the chat too, don’t need you telling Bryce stuff.  
Chuckbacca: What he is doing is not okay, he has no right to tell people I’m gay and on top of that making up lies.  
Chuckbacca: I’m taking the rest of the week off school please just let me have some time alone, I’ll message you guys when I’m ready.

There was a knock on his door. “Charles sweety”  
“Come in mom”  
“What’s going on”  
“We need to talk” he sat up on his bed.  
“Okay” She sat down next to him.  
“I need to take some time off school”  
“Okay, but I’ll need a reason”  
Chuck nervously chewed at his bottom lip. “I’m scared”  
“Is it something with school? Is someone bullying you?”  
“Bryce told everyone I’m gay and kissed him and now everyone thinks I’m a creepy gay kid going around trying to kiss people”  
“Why would he do that? I thought you were friends”  
Chuck started to cry again “Because we have been dating for a few months”  
“Okay, tell me what happened?”  
“I went to meet him by his locker and he was kissing Sarah, apparently they have been dating a few weeks but he never broke up with me and we just went on a date Sunday”  
“He sounds like a jerk”  
“He was so sweet, I’m so confused”  
“Well I want you to know that I love you and will never stop loving you no matter what”  
“Are you sure”  
She smiled “Of course silly”  
“How do you know when you’re in love?”  
“I know it sounds cliche but when you know you know”  
“Bryce told me he loved me and I said it back but it didn’t feel special”  
“You can love someone without being in love, there is a huge difference”  
“I think I’m in love with John, I think I have been for a long time, when I’m around him it just feels so different”  
“Have you tried talking to him?”  
“We haven’t really been that close since his dad died, and I don’t want him to distance himself from me more because I’m now the creepy gay kid”  
“He would never think that”  
Chuck shrugged “I think I just need to be left alone right now”  
“I’m staying home the rest of the day, I’ll be right downstairs if you need me”  
“Thanks, mom, I love you”  
“Love you too Charles”

“Wake up Bartowski”  
Chuck jolted up to see Casey, Morgan, and Alex standing in his room. “I thought I said I need some time”  
“We are your best friends and have chose to ignore that” Morgan plopped down on his bed “We brought snacks and movies and we are going to pile up on your bed like the old days”  
“Thanks”  
“I hope you don’t mind the company because we are all expelled and don’t get to go back to school until Monday”  
“What did you do?”  
“Let’s just say I know exactly where to punch to not break his nose but make him cry and give him two black eyes in a single punch, Alex made a sign that said I’m a liar and super glued it to his forehead and then Grimes rigged an ink bomb in his locker”  
“And I used the stuff they put in money for bank robbers, he is going to be blue for a very long time”  
“You guys are the best”  
“Oh wait” Alex opened her backpack and showed Chuck the picture she printed out of a very blue Bryce, Chuck laughed “This is amazing”  
Alex walked over and hung it on the dartboard hanging on the back of his door. “Figured we could have some fun later”

Chuck smiled when he walked passed his window and saw the sign up in Casey’s window ‘Happy Birthday Nerd’  
Chuck really hoped that didn’t mean Casey would be avoiding his birthday party, he didn’t even want one, but his mom was way too excited for him to turn sixteen so she was throwing him a birthday party in their backyard. Thankfully they lived in California so even at the end of September he could still have a pool party, that and his dad who was an inventor made them a pool warmer with solar panels.  
He was pretty sure most of the school still thought he was a gay creep and wouldn’t show up, but he knew Morgan would be there so at least they could binge on pizza and hang out.  
When Chuck got outside Ellie, her best friend Ilsa and Sarah were laying on towels in their tiny bikinis, Devon, Casey and Devon’s younger brother Ian were throwing around a football while Morgan and Alex were playing in the pool and his mom and Liz were both standing at the grill.  
“Happy birthday sweetie” his mom yelled out, followed by everyone else as they noticed him.  
Chuck nervously waved at everyone then took off running and jumped into the pool.  
Once Chuck jumped in, everyone else decided to join them. After a few minutes of playing around Sarah pulled him over to the side. “Is it okay that I’m here?”  
Chuck shrugged “I guess”  
“I didn’t”  
“Please stop, it’s my birthday, I don’t want to talk about it right now, you didn’t do anything wrong and we have been best friends since kindergarten and that's not gonna change because of one boy”  
“Love you Chuck” she hugged him.  
“Love you too Sarah”  
After playing around in the pool they got out and ate cheeseburgers and hot dogs, then Chuck’s mom brought out the cake.  
“Okay birthday boy, before you blow out the candles” she set the cake down in front of Chuck, it was white with black sprinkles, he was kind of confused at the style choice but cake is cake. “I just want you to know Charles, that me and your father and everyone here love you so much and no matter what we are all here for you”  
“Thanks mom” he mumbled, kind of embarrassed, he made a wish and blew out his candles. When his mom cut into the cake, he wanted to cry when he saw the rainbow layers of cake, but thankfully he held it in. “Thanks, mom”  
She leaned over and kissed his forehead “I don’t care who you love as long as you always love me”  
“Love you Chuckster” Liz ruffled his hair, leaning over to whisper in his ear “And if you ever need me to kick someone's ass, let me know”  
"Love you too Mama Casey"

“Hey Bartowski”  
“Casey” Chuck tried not to smile too big.  
“Want to join me on the swings?”  
“We might be a bit too big for them now” Chuck looked over at the swingset they used to play on so much as kids. Their parents had decided to take down the fence between their two yards and make it one giant yard for the kids to enjoy, there was a huge patio with a big table and a grill in Chuck’s backyard, and the pool was between the two and Casey’s backyard had a huge playground area complete with a treehouse, then off to the side was a bench swing where Mary and Liz usually spend most of their time together as they watched their kids play.  
“Guess we will have to sit on the mom swing” 

“You know how I am with emotions, so just know this isn’t easy for me. I’m sorry I shut you out, and I’m sorry I have been a horrible friend and not being there for you this summer with the whole Bryce thing”  
“Don’t worry about it, I understand”  
“If you want, I’d like to try this friendship thing again”  
“God Johnny, you have no idea how happy that would make me”  
“I hate that, please call me Casey”  
“Right, sorry”  
“So me, you, Grimes, your living room with a bunch of shitty foods and the xbox until three am?”  
“That might be exactly what I need”  
“I wouldn’t mind the whiteboard conversations to continue too”  
“Well I never stopped”  
“I still haven’t processed fully that my dad is gone, it’s been three years, but it still feels like yesterday”  
“I know, maybe I don’t hurt as much as you, but I still hurt too and I’m sure it will hurt for the rest of our lives, but if we are there for each other it may help a little” Chuck squeezed his hand. “I know our brains are very different and I have enough emotion for the both of us, but it’s okay to talk to me about anything, I’m a good listener and I keep secrets”  
“You’re right” Casey squeezed back before pulling his hand away.  
Chuck looked up to see Ilsa walking towards them.  
“Happy Birthday Chuck”  
“Thanks Ilsa, glad you could make it”  
“Are you coming with me Casey?”  
“I’m staying at Chuck’s tonight”  
“Oh”  
“Not like that” Casey rolled his eyes, “It’s a tradition, we do it for all our birthdays, us and Morgan”  
“Sounds fun I guess”  
“I’ll see you at school on monday” he stood up and hugged her, then he gave her a quick kiss on the lips before she walked away.  
“When did that happen?”  
“Not that long ago, still not even sure it’s a thing, Devon and Ellie set it up, we have gone out with them a few times that's it”  
“Nice, she is very pretty”  
Casey shrugged “Yeah, but I feel kind of weird, I’ve never dated before and I have to say, I don’t really get the appeal, holding hands is gross cause it gets clammy, then you have to go out to eat and the guy is expected to pay, then you go to the movies and she doesn't want candy or popcorn cause she is watching her figure, but then eats half the shit you get for yourself. It’s annoying”  
Chuck laughed. “I didn’t get to experience much of that”  
“How long did you two date?”  
“We first kissed a few days before Thanksgiving when he wrote that note for you to get your head out of your ass, you know the one that caused a fight between us at dinner, then well you know the rest”  
“Did you lose your virginity”  
“Um seriously? No, I’m too young” Chuck could feel his face turning red “Have you?”  
“Nope”  
“Maybe that's why he did what he did, because I heard Sarah telling Ellie that her and Bryce are having sex”  
“or he is just an asshole who wanted to be an asshole"  
Chuck's mom called them over.  
They walked over and joined everyone, Sarah and Ilsa were the only ones who had left.  
"Your dad is on his way, he told me to bring everyone to the driveway"  
Chuck heard a honk and took off running towards the front of the house.  
“Is that mine?” Chuck stared at the red Prius  
“All yours son” His dad put the keys in his hand  
“Thanks dad” he gave him a hug.  
“Nice nerd car Bartowski”  
“Okay jock with a black tricked out jeep” Chuck smirked  
“Dude you are totally giving me rides to school” Morgan got in the passenger seat  
“Once I get my license”  
Casey grabbed the keys “I have mine, let’s take it to get some ice cream”  
“Yes, can we?” Chuck looked over at his parents  
“Maybe put some clothes on first” his mom suggested  
Chuck looked down at his swim trunks, “Good call, then we can stop at the store and get stuff for our sleepover tonight”

"Oh god, Casey I'm so sorry" Chuck scrambled to get off the bed but he was tangled in his blanket.  
"Chuck calm down" Casey was laughing.  
"I have no control over it, it's not" his voice cracked "I'm so sorry"  
"Bartowski, I get it, I'm a guy too, I know what morning wood is"  
“I don’t want you to think it’s because I’m a gay creep”  
Casey just stared at him, Chuck lost is, burying his face into his pillow as he sobbed, this is the first time he has let out his pain and sadness over everything that had happened with Bryce.  
“Is everything okay?” Morgan’s head popped up from the floor.  
“I think everything that happened with Bryce has finally hit him”  
“Bryce is going to regret this” Morgan got up and went over to Chuck’s computer “I have an idea, you calm him down, I will exact revenge”  
Casey rubbed his back “I’ve never thought of you in a negative way and I would never think you were creepy or something because you’re gay. I know we haven’t been best friends like we used to but it’s because I’m an asshole, nothing against you”  
“The entire school thinks I’m weird”  
“They have always thought that” Casey teased, trying to make Chuck laugh, but it didn’t work. “Seriously Chuck, I’m going to sound like our moms, what people think of you know won’t matter once you graduate”  
“I still have to survive the rest of this school year then there is two more left after”  
“But then when you graduate and go to Stanford and become a smart rich tech guy they will all be begging to be your friend”  
“Dude he is right, plus you have us and Alex, what more do you need”  
“I need to go back in time and never invite Bryce to our friend circle”  
“Shit happens”  
“Can we make a promise, no more secrets, and no more shutting out your friends when life is hard?”  
“Deal” Casey smiled  
“Deal” Morgan called from the corner where he was still typing away on the computer  
“What are you doing Morgan?”  
“If I don’t tell you then you will have no knowledge and can’t get blamed”

Chuck was laying on his bed reading a comic book when he saw the red dot moving along his wall, it was the way him and Casey got each other’s attention. He got up and looked out his window, the sign said help! Plz, come over!  
Chuck slipped on his shoes and headed over.

He was not expecting Casey to be standing there in his very tight black boxer briefs, wow.  
“What’s up?”  
“Ilsa invited me to her prom”  
“Dude, that’s a big deal, a sophomore going to junior/senior prom”  
“It's stupid, but most of the team is going and Devon and Ian’s parents are having dinner before it so I agreed to go”  
“Devon graduated and Ian is a freshman”  
Casey shrugged “Chelsea asked Ian”  
“That’s kind of gross, she is almost eighteen”  
“I know, horny teenagers, whatcha gonna do”  
“So are you asking your gay best friend to help with your outfit?”  
Casey nodded “She said I have to wear a purple shirt, the suit is my dads but he doesn't have a purple shirt so I'm wondering if a purple tie will work?”  
“Well first get dressed, you’re making me jealous”  
“Jealous enough to join me for my morning runs?”  
“Never” Chuck laughed “You know if you go this year you will have two more proms” Chuck sat on Casey’s bed trying not to watch him get dressed.  
“You know that new kid Billy?”  
“Yeah he is in my English class”  
“He has rainbow shoelaces” Casey wiggled his eyebrows.  
“You know people can be straight and like rainbows?”  
“Yeah, but you could maybe ask”  
“I don’t know if I want to date anymore”  
“You can’t be a virgin forever”  
“Seriously, I’m sixteen and yes sex sounds awesome but I’m not doing it till I’m emotionally ready”  
“No judgment here”  
“You know people tend to lose their virginities at prom”  
“I’m not having sex tonight”  
Chuck went over to help Casey with his tie “You look so much like your dad”  
Casey looked at himself in the mirror “I look stupid”  
“You look handsome”  
“Whatever”  
“I’m serious Casey”  
“I miss him” Casey took a deep breath.  
“Need a hug?”  
“No, but you clearly do” He turned and gave Chuck a hug that lasted a bit longer than it should have but Casey needed it more than he would admit.  
“Have fun tonight and call me if you need anything”  
“Thanks, Bartowski”

Chuck was laying in bed trying to sleep and not think of Casey at prom with Ilsa when he heard country music playing, he looked out his window and the lights were still out in Casey’s room so he put some slippers on and went to investigate, he knew it had to be him because he was the only one who listened to country  
He went out to hi back porch where he saw Casey sitting on the edge of the pool with his legs in the water, he was in his boxers, a white button up shirt with a few buttons undone and his tie loosened.  
“Um are you lost?”  
“No”  
“Can I join you?”  
“Sure”  
Chuck left his pj pants and slippers on the porch then joined him.  
“Aren’t you supposed to be at prom?”  
“My shirt was the wrong color, I didn’t want to dance, I didn’t want to make out in a crowd of people and I didn’t want to have sex, so she decided to loudly break up with me and slap me in the face”  
“Yikes, I’m sorry”  
Casey shrugged, “It’s okay, I’m not even sure I liked her”  
Chuck laughed “Sorry I shouldn’t have laughed”  
“It’s fine, high school sucks”  
“Yeah it does”  
“You might want to take your shirt off”  
“Why?”  
“Because I’m about to shove you in the pool”  
“Wait wh” he didn’t have time to answer or take his shirt off before Casey was shoving him in.  
Casey took his tie and shirt off before jumping in.  
“Not cool” Chuck got tangled trying to take his wet shirt off, Casey laughed hard and it made Chuck’s heart flutter because it's rare to hear Casey laugh like that.  
“Help me before I die”  
“Imagine the headlines, boy drowns in pool, still tangled in his shirt”  
“Shut up”  
Casey grabbed the shirt and pulled it off. “I saved the day” he teased.  
“I wouldn’t have needed saving if you didn’t shove me in” Chuck splashed him, which may have been a bad idea because it turned into a play fight.

“Okay, mercy” Chuck held on to the edge of the pool trying to catch his breath. “You’re way too strong”  
“I work out, you play video games” Casey grabbed the wall next to him  
“Don’t forget where you come from, you were a nerd once too”  
“Only because of you”  
“You loved it”  
“I did” Their eyes locked, maybe it was just in Chuck’s head because he wanted it so bad, but he could have sworn Casey was moving closer to him, he panicked and splashed Casey before swimming away “You’re it” he yelled.

“Can I crash at your place?”  
“Always” Chuck didn’t realize what day it was until they went up to his room and he saw his calendar.  
“Crap all I have is this suit and wet briefs”  
“Want me to go grab something from your room?”  
“Would you mind?”  
“Not at all” Chuck went into his small walk-in closet to change into dry boxers and PJs.  
“I’m gonna shower”  
“You know where everything is”

When Chuck came back he cracked the bathroom door open “Hey I’m going to just throw the clothes in”  
“Thanks”  
Chuck could tell he was crying, he wished so much that he could just hold Casey as he cried, but he knew Casey would never let him see him cry.  
“Was my mom home?”  
“Yeah, my mom is over there, they have the wine giggles”  
Casey let out a small laugh.  
“I told her you were staying here and I ordered us a meat lovers pizza, some cheesy bread and soda”  
“That sounds so good, the shit at the Woodcomb’s was too fancy, like who the hell wants oysters and other shit i’ve never heard of before high school prom”  
“That’s why they now come here for dinners when Ellie and Devon are home from college, we have gone there a few times and it’s like come on, do people really eat this weird stuff”  
“Thanks Chuck”  
“Yeah of course”  
“I just don’t understand how someone could go overseas and fight in a war multiple times, get shot and live just to come home and be kill because some asshole ran a red light” he quickly wiped the tear that was falling down his cheek, hoping Chuck didn’t see it.  
“I wish there was something I could do or say to take all your pain away”  
“Just ignore the fact that I’m being a little bitch right now”  
“Just because you have a dick doesn’t mean you can’t cry, society is fucked up making men think they can’t have emotion”  
“But I’m the one who has to stay strong for my mom and Alex”  
“You can be strong for them but you need to also take care of yourself, holding it in makes it worse. I’ve cried a lot over it and I’m not ashamed at all”  
“My dad was my best friend, and I loved him so much, but he was hard on me and made sure I was a man and to him if I showed emotion it made me less of a man and if he knew I was crying for him then he would be mad”  
“I don’t think he would be mad at all, grieving it's a natural thing”  
“It’s been three years, three long years”  
“Fuck prom, can we boycott it the next two years”  
“Yes, let’s have a pool party here instead”  
“You know Alex is going to want to go, so it would just be me and you”  
“I’ll boycott prom next years, but I want to go to senior prom, just for the experience”  
“It’s lame”  
“But we will be eighteen and according to the movies that means we show up, declare it’s lame then go somewhere and drink beers around a bonfire”  
“If that’s the plan I’m in”

\------------------

JediMG: Dude Chuck if you don’t answer me I’m calling your mom

JCasey19: What’s going on

LexiPi: Chuck left school during lunch and we haven’t been able to get ahold of him

JediMG: We are knocking on his door, nothing

JCasey19: His curtain is closed, can’t tell if he is there...I have a key….meet me at the backdoor.

“What’s wrong?”  
“Not sure”  
Casey pushed the back door in “Just make sure you lock it when you leave”  
“You’re not coming?” Alex looked at her brother.  
“No, I have other things to do” he noticed on the way over that there was something in the treehouse so he headed over to check it out, he guessed that it was where Chuck was.  
He climbed up the ladder and sure enough Chuck was laying on a sleeping bag curled up in a ball, crying.  
“Can I come in?”  
Chuck jumped, quickly sitting up and wiping his eyes. “Uh sure”  
“Morgan and Alex are worried about you, maybe let them know you’re okay”  
Chuck sighed and pulled out his phone, pulling up the app he made for their friend group

Chuckbacca: I’m fine, sorry I worried you guys, when I’m ready to talk I’ll fill you in on more but Billy broke up with me. It’s bad

JediMG: Dude you had me all kinds of freaked out

Chuckbacca: You guys can stay and play my Xbox if you want.

LexiPi: Just know we are here for you buddy 💜

Chuckbacca: thanks.

“If you don’t want to talk that's fine”  
“I really do want to talk but I’m not sure I can without crying”  
“Then cry”  
“Can I ask you a personal question?”  
“Bartowski we have been friends since birth, we know everything about each other”  
“I don’t know if you have had sex yet?”  
Casey shook his head “No, not yet, have you?”  
Chuck buried his face in his hands as he started to cry.  
“Chuck did something happen?”  
Chuck nodded and let out a weak “Yes”  
“Hey, look at me” Casey pulled Chuck’s hands down from his face. “What happened?”  
“I’ve been with Billy for over six months and we had an early Thanksgiving dinner with his family last night and they let me stay the night which we have done a few times and we were laying in his bed kissing and things started getting um we were”  
“Getting excited?”  
“Yeah” Chuck blushed “Obviously it wasn’t the first time but I thought maybe I was ready to go further but then his hand went down my pants and well it felt good and um I, it, the thing is um I didn’t last very long at all and it was super embarrassing and he laughed at me”  
“Asshole” Casey put his arm around Chuck, pulling him closer so Chuck could rest his head on Casey’s shoulder.  
“He has had sex with guys and girls before and he was pressuring me into having sex and I didn’t want to, but I let him do that and then he kept teasing me, I got up and went to the bathroom and when I came back he was on his bed naked and he said he was going to show me how it’s supposed to be or something stupid like that and I told him I was going to sleep and he didn’t like that”  
“Chuck what did he do?”  
“He shoved me into the wall and said some really nasty things that will probably haunt me for the rest of my life, and like the loser I am, I had to call my mom to come get me. I lied and told everyone something I ate made my stomach hurt, my mom even stopped and got me sprite and crackers”  
“Next time you can call me”  
“There won’t be a next time, I’m staying single till I’m thirty”  
“So why did you leave school today?”  
“You’re not going to believe me, it’s so messed up”  
“Try me”  
“He texted me and asked me to come talk to him, he was in the locker room, so I went because I’m a moron and when I went in there, he was” Chuck sighed “He was on his knees in front of Bryce”  
“You’re kidding”  
“Nope” Chuck was sick of crying over dumb boys, but he couldn't stop the tears.  
“Did you tell Sarah?”  
“Like she would believe me, she thinks Bryce is a god of some sort”  
“You’ll be okay Chuck”  
“I’m going to need to be homeschooled”  
“You’ll survive, then leave all these fuckers behind”  
“Do you think somehow Bryce did all this just to hurt me? Like he somehow got Billy to do all this”  
“Seems like something he would do”  
“Do you think Sarah knows that Bryce is sleeping with Billy?”  
“Who knows, who cares”  
“Why is not wanting to have sex at seventeen such a big deal?”  
Casey shrugged “Wish I knew, but if it makes you feel better I get teased in the locker room all the time”  
“Seriously?”  
“Last year Ilsa told all the cheerleaders about prom and they told their football player boyfriends”  
“That sucks”  
“It’s annoying, but I don’t care”  
“I wish I was less emotional like you”  
“It has its perks”  
“Can we find a way to have Bryce shipped off to boarding school or something?”  
“I’ll see what I can do” Casey teased.  
“I just want to know what I did to make him want to hurt me so bad all the time”  
“Can I say something without pissing you off?”  
“Probably not, but go ahead”  
“You’re an easy target”  
“Okay, that’s rude” Chuck sat up, he liked being in Casey’s arms but he was getting too comfortable.  
“It’s because you are so sweet and you have a big heart, you’re nice to everyone and he is a manipulative little asshole who can get in anyone’s head, so it was easy for him to get in your head”  
“So I need to be an asshole?”  
“Please never change, I like the person you are”  
Chuck smiled “Thanks”  
“Just don’t trust guys with names that start with B”  
“That’s solid advice”  
“Are we going in or are we going to stay out here?”  
“Stay out here, I was thinking of ordering subs and having them deliver to us here”  
“Not a bad plan”

After they ate their dinner, they laid down to look out the window in the roof.  
“Remember how excited we were for this little fort”  
“My dad spent weeks working on it”  
“And we were so excited to sleep in it that first night and it started pouring down rain”  
“Which is so fucking rare for California”  
“And we were determined to stay out here even though the skylight leaked and the wind was blowing the rain into the windows”  
“So my mom dragged us inside and we made hot chocolate”  
“And your dad taught us how to play risk”  
“I wish we could go back to a time where a rainstorm was the worst thing to happen to us”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chuck and Casey are 18-19 during their senior year.

“So whose idea was this again?” Chuck yawned.  
“Yours” Morgan groaned.  
“You two didn’t have to stay up till one playing video games” Casey took a sip of his coffee.  
“Well I thought breakfast at our favorite diner before our first day of senior year would be fun, I have regrets”  
“Maybe we should have passed out on the bed when Casey did” Morgan took a sip of his coffee getting whipped cream on his nose.  
“You guys are ridiculous” Alex stole a bite of waffle of Morgan’s plate  
“Who invited the junior” Casey smirked.  
“Me, the love of her life”  
Casey rolled his eyes  
“I need more coffee” Chuck leaned his head over to rest on Casey’s shoulder.  
“You don’t need any more” Casey slid the cup away from him.  
“The four of us need to make a promise, this is our last year of seeing each other daily, before the three of us go off to college. I’m not allowed to date anyone” Chuck laughed “Casey you’re not allowed to shut down and ignore us, and you two, well just keep being yourselves and don’t break up because you’re soulmates”  
“I agree” Morgan kissed Alex’s cheek  
“Same” Alex kissed him back.  
“I’ll do my best” Casey smirked.  
“Can we all please just ignore college and stay here forever” Morgan pouted.  
“We can but Chuck’s going to Stanford”  
“Don’t jinx it Casey”  
“Not jinxing it, we all know you’ll get in and have a full scholarship”  
“Uh I don’t wanna ruin this moment, but Sarah and Bryce just walked in” Alex looked at Chuck, who quickly moved his head off of Casey’s shoulder.  
“I’ll kick his ass if he even thinks about coming over here”  
“I won’t let you” Chuck grabbed his arm “You’re not risking your last year of football with all the colleges coming to look at you. He isn’t worth it”  
“Hi” Sarah walked up to their table.  
“What do you want” Morgan glared at her.  
“Just wanted to say hi, haven’t seen you guys all summer”  
“We have invited you out, you have just chosen not to come because we don’t allow mentally abusive assholes hang out with us”  
“He isn’t a bad person”  
Chuck laughed. “Okay, well it was nice to see you, Sarah, enjoy your senior year and congrats on cheer captain”  
“Thanks”   
Bryce walked up “Hey losers”  
Casey growled at him.   
“Bryce be nice” Sarah grabbed his hand.  
“Just wanted to come over and let Chucky and John know I’m happy for them”  
Chuck gave him a questioning look  
“I’m just happy you two are finally dating, those years of sexual tension have been annoying”  
“What the fuck are you talking about Larkin”  
“Oh Johnny are you not out yet”  
“You’re not allowed to call me that”  
“We aren’t together, and you know that, you’re just trying to start more rumors because you’re an asshole”  
“I saw you guys cuddling, just thought’  
“Well you thought wrong, we are friends, I’m tired and resting my head. I know you don’t know what it’s like to have friends so you probably don’t understand”

“I thought we made a deal no prom”  
“We agreed no junior prom, which we didn’t go to”  
“But we missed Bryce and Sarah winning prom king and queen” Casey rolled his eyes.  
“Oh darn” Chuck was looking at himself in the mirror, him and Casey had decided that they would be going with Morgan and Alex as friends because it would be more fun. So they are at the store trying on suits to rent. “Mom said she will have the backyard set up for us to come back to at anytime”  
“Can’t we just spend the entire night there?”  
“We could, but we aren’t going to because we need to get cheesy prom pictures and out mothers want to see us go to senior prom”  
Casey stepped out of the changing room to look at himself in the big mirror “I look like a tool”   
Chuck came out and joined him, “Uh as your gay best friend, I disagree, your eyes look amazing well all the time, but when you wear blue they pop”  
Casey was wearing a navy blue jacket and matching pants with a white button-down shirt and no tie.  
Chuck was wearing a textured light grey suit complete with a vest, a white button-down shirt and a thin burgundy tie. “I feel like an imposter”  
“You actually look really good”  
Chuck turned to the side “Yeah I do” he smirked, “Are you not wearing a tie?”  
“I have no idea what color to get”  
“Try this one” Chuck loosened his tie and pulled it over his head, he stepped closer to Casey sliding it over his head, putting it in place.   
He stepped back to get a look “It’s kind of red, white and blue but I like it”  
“Well you are my date so we need to match”  
“But I promise not to smack you”  
Casey huffed out a laugh, “Good luck even trying”

Chuck may have spent a bit too much time in the shower thinking about Casey in his suit and what it would be like to slowly remove the suit, maybe even keep the tie on. He felt a little ashamed, but it wasn’t the first time and probably won’t be the last.

“Come on Casey, you promised me one prom photo complete with ridiculous pose”  
“Where is the troll and my sister?”  
Chuck scanned the crowd, it was easy to spot Morgan in his white suit, he pointed them out so Casey could go grab them while Chuck waited in line for the photos.  
They did one group photo, Alex was standing in the middle facing the camera holding her hands up like a gun to her mouth like she was blowing on it, Chuck and Morgan on either side of her with their backs against her, also holding their hands like guns up the same but their heads were turned to face the camera and Casey was standing behind Alex rolling his eyes at their spy pose.  
Then Morgan and Alex did a coupley picture that was so cute, then somehow Chuck convinced Casey to pose with him where Chuck’s back against Casey’s chest, with Casey’s arms around him and his hands around his middle with Chuck’s hands on top of his.

Someone spiked the punch, which gave them all a buzz after one small drink because none of them had ever drank before, and it got Casey out on the dance floor, both their jackets were off and their ties were loosened and their bodies were pressed together as they danced around with their classmates.  
After they sobered up a bit they called for a ride service home. 

Casey lit up the firepit while Morgan got the beer his older cousin bought them and hid in a cooler behind a tree while they were at the dance, Chuck’s dad was out of town as usual, and their moms were at the Casey house having a girls night and leaving the Bartowski house for the kids but staying close.  
They ordered Thai food and sat around the fire drinking beers which none of them really liked but they drank it anyway.   
Casey connected his phone to the outdoor speaker system and had some country music playing low in the background.   
Morgan asked Alex to dance to a love song that came one, Chuck looked over at Casey.  
“No”  
“I didn’t say anything”  
“You were going to asked me to dance to this song”  
“I thought about it but I wasn’t going to actually do it”’  
Casey stood up “Come on” he held out his hand to Chuck   
“We don’t have to”  
“Hurry before I change my mind”

Chuck’s arms were wrapped around Casey’s neck, Casey’s hands on his hips. The song changed and Casey’s heart started beating faster because Chuck had no idea how fitting this song was for just how Casey felt. He quietly sang the words not sure if Chuck would realize or if he would think that Casey was just singing along  
“I can’t count the times I almost said what's on my mind but I didn't”  
Chuck moved his arms under Casey’s and wrapped them around Casey’s middle so he would rest his head on Casey’s shoulder as they swayed back and forth.  
“In case you didn’t know baby I’m crazy ‘bout you” Chuck whispered, Casey barely able to hear him. Now both men singing together. Chuck didn’t listen to country music except for in Casey’s jeep when they rode to school together, which has now been every day of their senior year so he was starting to know all the songs.  
“All of the things that I’ve been feeling, it’s time you hear ‘em, in case you didn’t know, baby I’m crazy ‘bout you, and I would be lying if I said that I could live this life without you”  
“You had my heart a long long time ago, you’ve got all of me, I belong to you, yeah you’re my everything” Chuck’s voice cracked, he looked up to look at Casey’s face, he had no idea what came over him, he surged forward pressing his lips to Casey’s, it didn’t last long because Chuck started to panic.  
“I’m sorry” he turned and ran into the house and up to his bedroom.

“Are you okay?” Casey walked into the room soon after him  
“Just peachy”  
“It’s fine Chuck”  
“It’s not and I want to go to bed”  
“Am I still allowed to stay”  
“If you want to but I’ll understand if you want to pull out the air mattress”  
“Why would I want that”  
“Just assumed you wouldn’t want to be in the same bed as the creepy gay kid”  
“Shut the fuck up Bartowski, I’ve never once had a negative thought about you, so just stop”  
“Sorry” mumbled.   
Casey grabbed his pajamas that he kept at Chuck’s house and headed to the bathroom, when he came back Chuck was already curled up under the covers, Casey turned the ceiling light off, leaving the small lamp on Chuck’s desk on so he could still see and made his way over to the bed, they have been sleeping in the same bed during sleepovers since they were little, and they always used separate blankets, but tonight Casey crawled under the covers with Chuck.  
“Hey stop crying”  
“I’m blaming the beer” Chuck turned to face Casey, probably a bad idea but he did it anyway “We graduate in less than two months and everything is going to change, I’ll be all alone at Stanford if I even get in”  
“It’s a five-hour drive, it’s not the end of the world and you will obviously get in”  
“What if a boy breaks my heart, who will be there to punch them”  
Casey laughed, “You’re tougher than you think Charles Bartowski”  
“Okay Johnny Casey”  
Casey growled poking Chuck’s side  
“Don’t you dare start a tickle fight”  
Casey smirked  
“Seriously don’t” Chuck was already laughing.  
“I didn’t do anything”  
“I know that smirk on your face”  
“I have no idea what you're talking about” he smirked again as his hands made his way to Chuck’s very ticklish sides.  
Chuck gripped Casey’s wrists, “Stop” his laugh was contagious, the both of them laughing as they rolled around on the bed playfully wrestling.  
Casey was holding himself above Chuck, trying to catch his breath, he stared into Chuck’s amazing brown eyes, he could feel Chuck’s hard cock, their thin pajama pants the only thing between them.  
Casey had never been more confused in his life  
Chuck cleared his throat, “Um you should um probably um get off”  
“Is that so?” Casey wiggled his eyebrows  
“Oh god, I didn’t mean it like that”  
“Are you sure?” He pressed his body closer to Chuck’s as he kissed him.  
Chuck’s hands gripped into the back of Casey’s t-shirt as their kiss deepened. Chuck had no idea what was going on, and he wasn’t going to ask. 

“Fuck” Casey growled burring his face in the crook of Chuck’s neck after they had both gotten off in their pants.  
He rolled off the bed, grabbing another pair of pants from his spot in the bottom drawer of Chuck’s dresser and made his way to the bathroom, he had no idea what to even say to Chuck, so he didn’t say anything.  
Chuck must have gone into the other bathroom to clean up because when Casey made his back to the bedroom Chuck was laying on the bed wearing different pants.  
“Thanks for um that, it was nice”  
“Yeah” Casey laid down, Chuck turned so his back was to Casey, who pulled the blanket over them before wrapping his arm around Chuck and pulling him close.

When Casey got home from working out after school he saw Chuck had put the whiteboard up in his window that read ‘GET OVER ASAP’  
When Casey got to Chuck’s room he was pacing back and forth “What’s going on?”  
Chuck held up the envelope that was in his hand “I got my letter from Stanford”  
“Did you open it?”  
“No, I need moral support”  
Casey plopped down on Chuck’s bed. “Want me to open it?”  
“Can you?” Chuck sat down on the edge of the bed handing it over to Casey.  
Casey slowly tore open the envelope, he unfolded the letter. “Damn”  
“No” Chuck sighed “I didn’t apply anywhere else, I was way to confident”  
“You should be confident as fuck, you got a full-tuition scholarship for four years”  
“You’re lying” Chuck’s eyes started to fill with tears  
“You worked your ass off, why are you shocked?” Casey handed the papers over so Chuck could read them. “I’m in shock”  
“I’m so proud of you Bartwoski”

"Fuck high school" Morgan held up his middle finger to then school as the four of them walked to the parking lot.  
"Sleepover at my place tonight?"  
"I'm in" Casey patted his back "if there is pizza"  
"We have plans" Alex grabbed Morgan's hand out of the air "but I promise a summer full of them"  
"We have plans?"  
"It's a surprise" she winked, she would have to make something up later because Casey had asked her to let him be alone with Chuck tonight.

Chuck pulled his tie off and threw it on his desk, “I can’t believe it’s over”  
“Now you have to do it all over again for four years”  
“I’m slightly upset at you for not taking any of the like hundred scholarships you got”  
“Football isn’t my future, can we talk about something else”  
“Here” Chuck grabbed Casey’s sweatpants and T-shirt out of the bottom drawer “I even washed them for you”  
“Thanks” Casey started taking off his suit, the same one he wore to prom, his matching blue tie landed on the desk next to Chuck’s, Chuck knew he shouldn’t be watching Casey undress but Casey was doing nothing to hide himself as he stripped down.  
“You planning on staying dressed up?”  
“Oh uh what, yeah, I mean no” Chuck blushed, Casey huffed out a small laugh. “Sorry” he mumbled, as he started unbuttoning his shirt.  
“Aww look at you Bartwoski, all grown up with chest hair”  
“Shut up” Chuck threw his shirt at Casey “Not all of us woke up one morning with glorious chest hair”  
“Glorious?”  
Chuck shrugged, “Probably not the right word, but it’s what came to mind”  
Casey stepped closer, Chuck tried to step back but he was against his desk. Chuck’s breath hitched when Casey’s fingers lightly trailed through the small patch of hair in the middle of his chest.   
“Casey”  
Casey didn’t say anything, just stared into his eyes as his fingers made their way up to grip the back of Chuck’s neck pulling him into a kiss, Chuck groaned at the slight pain of their lips slamming together. Casey’s big hands on his hips dragging them over to Chuck’s bed, Chuck was slightly embarrassed at the moans he was making or how obviously hard he was just from a kiss, but he has fantasized about this for years.  
Casey let go of Chuck, his breathing was heavy “I want you”  
“Seriously?”  
“Can we not talk about it right now, just enjoy the moment?”  
“Just to clarify, you want to have sex right”  
Casey nodded.  
“Wow uh yeah, I have lube but I don’t have any condoms”  
“I don’t either”  
“Are you really a virgin?”  
“You’re the only other person that has made me come”  
“I am too, I’m fine not using one” Chuck nervously chewed at his bottom lip “Are you gay? Are you a top? I’m so confused”  
“I said I don’t want to talk about it right now, and I would like to top if that’s okay with you”  
“Am I okay with you topping me? That’s a joke right?”  
“You want to top?”  
“Absolutely not”  
“I’m confused”  
“I’ve been wanting to sleep with you since I learned what sex was” Chuck could feel the blush creeping up his chest.   
“I just got nervous”  
“The great John Casey gets nervous?”  
“Shut up Bartowski” he growled.   
Chuck unbuttoned his pants and kicked them off, “What do you know about gay sex?”  
“What do I need to know?”  
Chuck grabbed his lube and laid down on his bed. “Uh, well I need to be prepped, you can’t just stick your dick in me and since I have experience with that, I’ll just do it real quick” Chuck’s hands were shaking and he pushed his boxers off. “Maybe lay in the bed with me and kiss me so you’re not just standing there staring, you’re making me nervous”  
“I will in a second, I really want to see” Casey had never blushed like this before, he stripped his clothes off so maybe Chuck would feel less vulnerable.  
“Oh fuck” he growled as he watched Chuck’s finger disappear inside of him, without realizing it he started to stroke himself gently.  
Chuck looked up “Wow, you’re naked”   
“Isn’t that the point” Casey smirked.  
“Get over here please”  
Casey laid down on his side next to Chuck, his hand slowly moving down Chuck’s chest to his dick “Can I?”  
“Yeah” Chuck barely got the word out before Casey's hand was wrapped around the base of his dick. Chuck moaned pushing a second finger inside himself. “If I come in two seconds please don’t laugh”  
Casey removed his hand  
“You didn’t have to stop”  
“How much longer?” Casey nibbled on Chuck’s ear.  
Chuck looked down at Casey’s dick “Uh you’re thick, so I need probably four of my fingers”  
Casey held up his hand “How many of mine?” he put some lube on his finger, he made a bit of a mess on Chuck’s chest by accident. “I don’t want to hurt you”  
Chuck removed his fingers, “Just be gentle”   
Casey’s finger slowly pressed in, he was shocked at the warmth and it almost felt like Chuck’s muscles were pulling him in  
“Add your middle finger” Chuck moaned pressing down on Casey’s finger, Casey did as he was told, going slow so he wouldn’t hurt him. “Keep going, bend your finger, yeah oh god right there” Chuck was panting, 

Casey sat on his knees between Chuck’s legs spread legs, Chuck had put a pillow under his hips, his knees were bent, his stretched hole and leaking cock on full display.   
Casey gripped the base of his dick, moving forward to line himself up, he pressed the tip in slowly, making them both moan, it was tighter than he thought and it was extremely hard to not shove all the way in and release himself inside of Chuck in seconds. It took longer than either of them wanted for Casey to be fully inside.  
"Are you okay?"  
"No"  
"Shit, what's wrong?" Casey looked down at him  
"You're not moving" Chuck smirked.  
Casey shook his head with a laugh. Staring into Chuck's eyes he began to slowly move his hips. "I can't go any faster" his breath was shaky "I'm so close already"  
"We are such virgins" Chucks laughed  
"Fuck, stop laughing" Casey growled but it came out as more of a moan as Chuck’s muscles tightened with every laugh, he dropped down catching himself on his arms by Chuck’s head, kissing him to stop the laughs.  
His thrusts were quick and shallow as he tried to find a rhythm that worked for both of them but it was very clear that he had no experience.  
“Chuck” he growled “I can’t hold off much longer”   
“Sit up”  
He pulled out sitting up on his knees, Chuck put his feet up on Casey’s shoulders, Casey took the hint and grabbed Chuck’s hips as he pushed back into the tight heat his body was craving, he tried his best to match his thrusts to the movement of Chuck’s hand on his own cock.   
“John” Chuck moaned loudly as he came, his muscles squeezing around Casey’s cock making him come too, Casey thrust a few more times before collapsing on the bed next to Chuck. 

Chuck woke up happier than he had been, maybe ever. He rolled over and Casey was gone, he sighed.   
He stretched before rolling out of bed to head to the bathroom but then he noticed the whiteboard up in Casey’s window. All it said was ‘I’m so sorry’  
Chuck was really confused, then he saw the envelope on his desk with his name on it. “This can’t be good” he quickly went to the bathroom to relieve himself then ran back to his room to grab the envelope and sat down on his bed. He knew it was from Casey because he knew the handwriting, plus he was the only one who called him Bartowski. This plus the whiteboard message had Chuck’s stomach in knots. 

‘I don’t even know where to start with this letter, besides saying I’m so sorry.  
You have been bugging me for way too long about college and I’ve thought about telling you so many times but I can never get the words out so I’m taking the cowards way out and writing it to you in a letter because seeing the pain in your eyes would be too hard. I signed up to join the Marines, I leave the day after graduation, I hope by then I’ve found the balls to tell you. I’ll be in South Carolina for boot camp then go from there. If and when I can, I’ll write you a letter and send it to Alex and she can forward it to you. 

We went to prom together last weekend and well things got insane, I’ve never danced before, and I had so much fun. The beers were probably not the best idea, but it lead to one of the best nights I’ve ever had, but neither of us has brought it up, I think you’re scared that I’d push you away or be scared and I haven’t said anything because I’m a coward but also I know I’m leaving and didn’t want to get into something just for me to leave in a little over a month.  
This letter has made me realize that I’m a coward.  
But I need you to know that it was not a mistake and I enjoyed every single second of it, but you deserve so much better than me. This might be a shitty thing to say but it’s true, I don’t have the heart to be in love with someone and I wouldn’t be able to give you what you need and deserve. 

Today you got your letter from Stanford and I’m so fucking proud of you, you’re going to do great things Charles Bartowski

We graduated today, I’m so proud of you for getting Valedictorian, your speech was so good, you’re too smart.   
I think I may have fucked up by kissing you, not because I regret it but because it made me want to never leave.   
Then we gave ourselves to each other and it was perfect, I’m glad we waited for each other, and now I’m leaving like an asshole.

Right now I’m sitting at your desk, you’re asleep on your bed, it was very hard for me to get up because I know how sad you will be when you see that I’m gone, I really hope you understand.   
Fuck I’m so mad at myself but I need this.

I need this time to figure out who I am and what I need in life. And now you have evidence I have emotion by the ink smeared from teardrops on this letter.   
I guess I’m a little bit human.

I love you Bartowski’

Chuck was in so much shock he couldn’t even cry.

Chuckbacca: Please tell me this is a joke Casey, I need you to text me back right now.

LexiPi: I’m sorry Chuck, he is gone, his flight left two hours ago, he left his phone here

Chuckbacca: This can’t be real, he didn’t do this to me  
Chuckbacca: After being there for me during my two shitty breakups, he really is just going to take my virginity and disappear. 

LexiPi: didn’t need to know that detail, but I highly doubt that was his plan

JediMG: Wait….where did he go?  
JediMG: But congrats on the virginity thing bro

LexiPi: He left for the Marines, he signed up right after he turned 18, he didn’t tell anyone and made me swear not to tell. And it wasn’t my place to tell. I’m sorry Chuck. Need us to come over?

Chuckbacca: I have no idea what I need, I’m in shock I think.

He looked over at the framed prom photo sitting on the table next to his bed. His heart hurt so bad.

Chuckbacca: I’ve been in love with him for as long as I can remember and last night was the best day of my life and it was all ripped away.   
Chuckbacca: Are you home Lex?

LexiPi: Yeah

Chuckbacca: I need to come over.

LexiPi: warning, mom is going to hug the crap out of you.

Chuck put his slippers on and made his way over, and Alex’s warning was correct, mama Casey pulled him into her arms and held him for a bit too long.  
“Are you okay sweety”  
“I’m not”  
“If you need anything at all, I’m here”  
“Thanks, I just need to get something from his room if that’s okay”  
“Of course it is, come over anytime you need”  
Chuck just nodded. He made his way up the stairs to Casey’s room, it’s been a while since he had been in there, Chuck’s house was usually the go to. He saw a Bulldogs sweater hanging over the edge of the clothes hamper, he picked it up running his fingers over Casey’s named across the back above the giant number nineteen.   
He pulled it over his head, the smell of Casey washed over him and he felt the lump in his throat grow. He grabbed the whiteboard out of the window and threw it as hard as he could at the wall, letting out a loud scream before collapsing on the ground sobbing.  
He wasn’t sure how long he had been sobbing when someone started rubbing his back. “Can we talk Chuck?”  
Chuck looked up surprised to see Ellie   
“Alex called me, told me you were here”  
“He’s gone Ellie” he managed to get out  
“He is not gone forever, he will be back”  
Chuck got up and crawled into Casey's bed "I need to be alone right now, I need to process"  
"I'll be at home if you need anything"

‘I’m not even sure this will ever get to you, but I need to write it down before I fall apart again.   
Today I woke up happier than I ever have and instead of waking up next to you, I woke up to a bullshit letter.   
I told you a few times that I was saving myself for someone special and someone who would be worth it and yeah it was always you I had in mind not knowing that you would break my fucking heart.

I’ve loved you since I knew what love was John Casey, so fuck you. 

You were the one there when I fell apart after two guys hurt me really bad and then you go and do the same thing.  
Was I just a way for you to not be a virgin? Or was I test to see if you were gay? What the actual fuck is wrong with you?   
You said you don’t know how to love but then end the letter saying you love me so what is it?  
I went over to your house today, I screamed and cried like an idiot, I’m so fucking embarrassed and hurt that I allowed this to happen. I’m going to address this to you and have Alex mail it for me, I have no idea where I’m going but I’m packing up my car and driving until I can’t anymore, then I’m going to work my ass off at Stanford and try my best to forget about you.  
My world revolves around you so I need to find who I am without you. So please don’t write back.   
You said it wasn’t a mistake but you’re wrong.  
I’m so fucking angry and sad. There is so much I want to write but I can’t find the words. 

Have a great fucking life’

\---------------------------------------

“Hello General”  
“How are you today Mr. Bartowski?”  
“Nervous about meeting the team”  
“They should be there soon”  
“I haven’t gotten a file on them yet?”  
“That’s because I didn’t need you freaking out before they got there”  
“Why would I freak out?”  
“Because you already know them”  
“From Stanford?”  
“Not exactly”  
“General”  
“Have a good day Mr. Bartowski” she ended the video call.  
“Morgan” Chuck yelled as he walked out of his office.  
“Maybe don’t come in here” Morgan called back, but it was too late, there stood Sarah and Casey.  
“Hey, Chuck” Sarah smiled.  
“Sorry, the bookstore is closed, I’m going to have to ask you both to leave”  
“Beckman sent us” Casey said  
Morgan looked between his best friend and their old friends.  
“You’re lying” Chuck sighed. “Fuck, okay, follow me, Morgan you can close up and go home, and even though she hasn’t asked, stop and get Alex a cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate shake, it’s her current craving.”  
“Sure you don’t want me to stay?”   
“I’ll be fine, see you tomorrow” Chuck motioned for Casey and Sarah to follow him to the back of the bookstore, he pulled on a random assortment of books, making the bookcase slide to the side to reveal a door, he typed in a passcode and the door opened. “Go in first or you’ll get shot with a tranquilizer”

“How long have you worked for the CIA?” Sarah started the conversation  
“They contacted me the second semester of my freshman year”  
“Are you a spy?”  
“I do computer stuff, and help on missions from here, I never go out in the field. After I graduated earlier this year they told me I would use this bookstore as a cover and I told them I would only do it if Alex and Morgan got to work here, how about you?”  
“Bryce got me into it”  
“He is not allowed here”  
“He was killed two years ago”  
“How do you know that Casey?” Sarah looked at him.  
“Because I’m the one who put a bullet between his eyes”  
“You’re lying” Sarah’s voice cracked.  
“He was a traitor to this country and it’s my job to eliminate threats”  
“Oh my god,” Chuck and Sarah said at the same time.  
“Don’t act like you haven’t killed anyone Walker, I know you have to kill at least one person to become a spy”  
“I have but”  
“But nothing, he was stealing CIA secrets and selling them, I tried to take him in peacefully and he blew up an NSA building full of innocent people”  
“Bryce did that? I worked on that mission, but the hacker was too good, fuck” Chuck couldn’t even look at Casey “So are you like an assassin or something?”  
“I was part of a black ops team that took care of threats all over the world then my leader started a terrorist organization and tried to kill our entire team, so now he lives in an underground bunker only accessible by submarine”  
“That’s a thing?”  
Casey nodded.  
“So why did Beckman bring us together?”  
“Maybe she thought since we have a past she thought we could trust each other and make a good team”  
Chuck laughed, “Bringing in the two people I trust the least, funny”  
“I never meant to hurt you, Chuck”  
“But you chose Bryce and his horrible friends over your real friends even after all the things he did to us and don’t even get me started on you” he glared at Casey  
“You’re not going to talk to me about it are you?”  
“Maybe I’ll just write it down and leave it for you to find”  
“Did I miss something?”  
“None of your business Walker” Casey growled “You’re overreacting and your fucking letter was horrible so don’t act like I’m the bad person”  
“You vanished”  
“I told you exactly where I was going. I told you I needed the time in boot camp alone, and that was three fucking months, you told me to never talk to you again, you were the one being dramatic”  
“Fuck you Casey”  
“You wish”   
Without thinking Chuck smacked Casey across the face, Casey’s hand wrapped around Chuck’s throat slamming him into the wall. “I’ve apologized way too many times over the last four fucking years for you to still blame me and think you have any right to smack me”  
A tear fell down Chuck’s cheek “I’m sorry”  
Casey’s hand moved up from his throat to cup his jaw and wipe the tear away with his thumb.   
Sarah cleared her throat “You two might want to take this somewhere a little more private”  
“Fuck off Walker” Casey stepped back but Casey grabbed the front of his way too tight black shirt and pulled him into a kiss. It started to get dirty fast, their tongues moving together as their bodies pressed together.  
“Am I going to have to pour cold water on you two, we have a job to do”  
Chuck pushed Casey away “Oh my god I’m so sorry, that was such a mistake, fuck”  
“It’s okay”  
“It’s really not” Chuck snatched the file out of Sarah’s hands, he flipped through it, “Okay this dick stole some weapons from the Navy base and is trying to sell them to a Russian named Ephraim Goncharov”  
Casey growled “It’s always the damn Russians”  
“How do you know that? It’s not in the file?” Sarah grabbed it back.  
“Because I’m Ephraim and I’m meeting him for the exchange tomorrow at eight”  
“I thought you didn’t go out in the field”  
“I’m not, you are” Chuck sat down at his desk, he pulled up the communication between them “This is what I have, you can go over it and we can come up with a game plan, and just for the record, the goal is to not kill him, but if he doesn’t give us the location of all the weapons and who his inside man is”  
“Got it”

"Are you staying with Morgan and Alex, want a ride”  
“Yeah, are you still living at home?”  
Chuck nodded, “Yeah, Devon and Ellie live there too”  
“I can't believe our moms just ran off like that"  
"Yeah I really don't want to talk about it"  
“Yeah I could use a ride, thanks”

Casey was in his old room, it felt weird being back, he grabbed the broken whiteboard up off his desk, thinking back to the day he left.  
He took out a marker, surprised it still worked and wrote pizza? on it, then opened his window since it was a nice fall day before putting the sign up, which took a bit of work since it was bent, he would have to ask Chuck about it later.

He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew he was being woken up by a loud crash. He ran over to look out his window but Chuck's curtain was still closed, then he heard Chuck yell out in pain. He took off running over there, hoping the door was unlocked, it was.  
He opened Chuck's bedroom door not at all expecting to see Chuck standing there with a man pinned up against the wall with his legs wrapped around Chuck's waist  
"What the hell are you doing?" Chuck turned his head to look at the intruder.  
"I heard a crash and you yell"  
Chuck looked over at his broken nightstand. "You can leave now"  
Casey slammed the door shut and sulked back over to his house. He took off his now muddy socks switching them for a clean pair, then grabbed his running shoes and ran ten miles.  
When he got back he didn't want to look over at Chuck's window out of curiosity and the board was up.  
'Ordered pizza, I'll be in the backyard'  
Casey took a quick shower then grabbed the bottle of whiskey he bought right when he landed in Burbank and two of the cigars he can't legally say where they came from and headed to the backyard.

"Thought you were ignoring me"  
"Went for a run"  
"To where?"  
"I don't know I just ran until I couldn't anymore, my watch said over ten miles"  
"What the fuck"  
"I like running" he grabbed a piece of pizza "Sorry I busted in like that"  
"It's fine"  
"Blondie didn't seem to think so"  
"Leo"  
"Didn't ask"  
"He is my boyfriend"  
"Ah" Casey opened up the bottle of whiskey and took a swig.  
"Is it a myth to swim after eating?"  
"We used to eat while swimming"  
"Yeah but we are old now"  
"You're almost twenty-four, that's not old"  
"A night-time swim sounds nice" Chuck stripped down to his boxers and jumped in. "Gonna join me?"  
"Sure" Casey sat the bottle of whiskey at the edge of the pool before stipping down to his briefs and jumping in.  
"Last time I went swimming was in the ocean and the water was probably negative ten, we thought our balls were gonna freeze off and sink to the bottom of the ocean"  
Chuck busted out laughing, god Casey missed that.  
"Last time we went swimming together in our underwear was sophomore year when you got dumped at prom"  
"The night I almost kissed you" Casey mumbled.  
"What?"  
"Don't worry about it"  
"Tell me"  
Casey grabbed the whiskey and took too big of a swig making himself cough, Chuck yanked the bottle from his hand. "What did you say"  
"It was the night I broke up with Ilsa"  
"Yeah and she slapped you"  
"Because I told her there was someone else and I almost kissed you"  
"Fuck you"  
"I wasn't ready to come out, you of all people should understand"  
"You can't just show up now and say that"  
Casey shrugged "it's the truth and I fucking struggled for years about my sexuality so give me a fucking break"  
"So what did you decide?"  
"Is Chuck a sexuality?"   
Chuck laughed "uh no"  
"You're the only one I've been able to get it hard for"  
"Your lying"  
"Why would I lie? I've tried porn, fucking men and women, nothing gets me going unless I think of you"  
"That sucks" Chuck takes another swig of the whiskey  
"I didn't think you were a top"  
"It's not my favorite, but it's all I've done since you"  
"Why?"  
Chuck shrugged handing the bottle back to Casey "Leo is the first guy I've had sex with and he refuses to top. I fooled around with a few guys in college but it never went past a blow job"  
"Never had one"  
"Seriously, they are great, but Leo doesn't like giving them"  
"He sounds great"  
Chuck swam closer to him "I want to give you one, and I want you to fuck me" Chuck whispered against his lips.  
Casey was going to ask him if it was a good idea, but he honestly didn't care, he grabbed Chuck dragging him to the shallower end so their feet could touch the floor.  
“Are you sure”  
“Yes” Chuck shoved his hand down the front of Casey’s briefs  
Casey growled into a kiss, his hand making its way into Chuck’s boxers.  
Stroking each other cocks a bit too hard, their kissing was sloppy but it was everything they had both been needing for so long. Casey’s other hand moved to the back of Chuck’s boxers, his finger easily pushing into Chuck’s hole.  
Chuck pulled out of the kiss, “Usually I can’t get off when I top so I have to finger myself in the shower”  
“Fuck” Casey’s finger pushed in deeper.   
“I need you, John, right here right now, please”  
“Lube?”  
“It will be fine, please just get inside of me” Chuck gave Casey one more aggressive kiss before turning and grabbing on to the wall of the pool, pushing his ass back towards Casey.   
Casey struggled for a moment to get his wet briefs off, he threw them out of the pool then removed Chuck’s boxers and did the same.  
Casey grabbed his cock lining it up with Chuck, he knew this probably wouldn’t be comfortable for either of them but if it’s what Chuck wanted it’s what he was going to give him.  
It was fast and dry and slightly uncomfortable, but they both came so hard neither of them could move or breath for a good minute.  
Casey pulled himself out of the pool, hoping no one in either house had seen or heard anything, he walked over to the little shed that held the pool stuff and grabbed a few towels. He helped Chuck out of the pool and wrapped him in a towel “Want to go inside or stay out here?”  
“I want to stay, maybe enjoy some more of that whiskey and those mystery cigars you brought” Chuck kept the towel wrapped around him and laid down in one of the padded lounge chairs.  
Casey wrapped a towel around his waist and grabbed the two cigars and lighter from the table and the whiskey from the pool edge, he used his foot to move the other lounge chair as close as it could go to the one Chuck was in. He handed everything to Chuck before he sat down then used the other towel he had grabbed to cover them like a blanket.  
“We can share one unless you started smoking?”  
“Um no never, well there was this pot thing, you know what never mind”  
Casey laughed “College Bartowski sounds fun”  
“Not at all”   
“Hence the sarcasm” Casey snipped the end of the cigar before running it under his nose, closing his eyes he took a deep breath.  
“Why do you smell it like that?”  
“Because it smells good, these are very special” He put the end between his lips.  
“Why”  
“You’ll know in a second” Casey takes a long puff before handing it over to Chuck, he took a small puff, the smell of it crashing over him.   
“Your dad used to smoke these” Chuck smiled.   
“Yup, met a buddy of his during a mission and he used to make these specifically for him and he made me a box”  
“That’s nice”

The cigar was gone, the whiskey was almost gone and tons of old stories and new ones were shared. Chuck shrugged off the damp towel from his shoulders keeping his lower half-covered with the other towel he moved to sit on his knees between Casey’s legs. He ran his hands up Casey’s very hairy thighs, “I want to suck you off”   
Casey’s dick started to harden at the thought of Chuck’s plump lips wrapped around his cock.  
Chuck’s hand wrapped around the base, “I take that as a yes” he smirked. Casey leaned forward to capture his mouth with his, Chuck’s hand started to move up and down his hardening cock. “Please” Casey tried to say without moaning, but he failed at that. Chuck made him weak and he hated it, not really though.  
Casey had to use both hands to grip the side of the chair to stop himself from coming the second Chuck tongue licked over the tip.  
“Are you okay?”   
Casey wanted to kiss that cocky smirk off his face, but all he could do was nod, once he calmed himself down he opened his eyes again, which was a mistake because watching all of his cock disappear between Chuck’s lips was torture.  
“Chuck you’re killing me”  
The vibration from Chuck’s laugh made Casey moan out his name probably too loud, but he didn’t care. Chuck pulled off, wiping the back of his hand across his spit-soaked lips “I want you to grab my hair and fuck up into my mouth until you come down my throat”  
Casey’s eyes went wide, “Damn Bartowski”  
Chuck leaned back down and sucked Casey’s balls into his mouth, teasing them with his tongue, then licked up Casey’s length.   
Casey grabbed Chuck’s hair doing as he was told, he started with slow shallow thrust but he knew Chuck could take more so he started going deeper, Chuck’s moans not making it easy to hold off his orgasm, a few more deep thrusts was all it took before he was coming, Chuck’s name a constant stream from his lips. His hand still gripping Chuck’s hair he pulled him up into a kiss. “Can I try”  
“Uh hell yeah you can” Chuck quickly moved back over to the chair he was in, Casey followed, he was more excited than nervous but still not entirely sure what to do.  
His hand wrapped around the base, he watched the bead of pre-come form as his hand moved along his length. He leaned down, sticking his tongue out to collect it,   
“I’m gonna come very quickly” Chuck wined, his hips jerking up.  
He wrapped his lips around the tip, tongue teasing over the slit, because when Chuck did it to him it was mind-blowing, and the way Chuck was moaning, he knew he was doing something right. He couldn’t take all of his length like Chuck could, but he tried.   
“Use your hand, fuck, yeah, like that, just like, oh god, so good”  
Casey tried different speeds and how hard or little to suck, trying to memorize the sounds Chuck was making.  
“John” Chuck’s hand gripped the back of Casey’s head as he came, Casey swallowing it down like it was the best thing he had ever tasted, it wasn’t but he didn’t care.  
“You’re lying if you tell me you have never done that”  
“Why would I lie?”  
“It was so good”  
“I just did what you did” he shrugged moving up to kiss Chuck, their tongues tasting like each other was almost intoxicating.

Chuck looked at his phone “Shit, looks like Morgan and Alex are home”

AlexG: I hate you both, I hate you both so much

JediMG: Seriously the worst

MajorCasey: Don’t be pervs and watch

AlexG: Don’t be so loud, it is our backyard.

Chuckbacca: Sorry

CapAwesome:: Maybe make sure no one is home before you do naked activities outside. 

Chuckbacca: Sorry, wasn’t planned, kinda just happened.

Dr.Woodcomb: I think you need to come inside so we can talk.

JediMG: Can I have the bookstore when she kills you?

Chuckbacca: Running away from home

“I have a small apartment above the bookstore, want to stay there?” Chuck put on his jeans, leaving his still wet boxers to hang over the arm of one of the chairs.  
“Neither of us can drive right now”  
Chuck grabbed his phone, “I’ll get us a ride, do you need clothes?”  
“My bag is still in my jeep”  
“The shower there is really nice and can easily fit two people” Chuck smirked.  
“Sounds good to me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to LittleLeaf25 for editing this for me so I could get it up.   
> I had surgery and was not expecting the meds to make me loopy or the IV to completely wreck my hand.

“Chuck wake up”  
“I don’t want to” he groaned  
“There is something giant and fuzzy sitting on my chest and judging me”  
Chuck rolled over to see what Casey was talking about, “Oh that’s Binx and he is very judgy”  
"Blinks?"  
"No Binx, like the cat from the movie Hocus Pocus"  
"Of course it is"  
"There is a brownish one around here too, his name is O'Malley"  
"From Aristocats? Did Alex name him"  
"Yes and yes, they are the bookstore cats but they eat and poop up here"  
"Speaking of, what's my shift today boss?"  
"Honestly don't care, we can work it out with Sarah later"  
"She is working at the coffee shop across the street"  
Chuck sighed as he looked at his phone "I'm a horrible person"  
"Says who?" Casey has never liked cats but he couldn't resist petting the black cat's head, he was amused at the purring sound vibrating his chest. Why was he smiling like an idiot right now, who was he and where did Major John Casey go?  
"Me, I spent the entire night sleeping with you and was planning maybe some fun in the shower, and I wake up to a fucking text saying good morning my amazing boyfriend” Chuck threw his phone “Fuck!”  
“Sorry,” Casey mumbled, because he really wasn’t, Leo can fuck off for all he cares. “I think that’s my cue to leave”  
“Yeah and I think we need to act like the last twenty or so hours didn’t happen”  
“Whatever nerd” Casey wasn’t actually going to make that promise, he tried to pick Binx up to move him but the second he tried the cat ran away.  
“Do you stay here often?” Casey pulled on a pair of jeans that he grabbed out of his bag.  
“Not really, only when I get back late for a mission”  
“I need to find a place to crash because one can only handle so much of pregnant Alex, she drives me nuts with calls and text, I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like living with her”  
“You can stay here, I don’t mind”  
“You sure?”  
“Yeah, um I’m gonna shower, I need to open the store”  
“I’ll be back in an hour or so”  
“Can we forget what I said and maybe do one last shower together?”  
Casey looked down at his jeans he just put on “I do need a shower”

Chuck’s body was pushed up against the tile wall, Casey’s hands holding them above his head kissing up and down his neck as he slowly fucked into him.   
Chuck was fighting back tears, he wanted Casey so bad, he didn’t want this to end, but he also didn’t want to break up with Leo, he was confused and hated himself for what he was doing.

“Hello handsome”  
Casey rolled his eyes “I’m going out to lunch, Alex is having a meltdown because she is craving sushi and she can’t eat it so I’m taking her out to her favorite Italian place to see if that helps”  
“Such a nice brother” Chuck wasn’t able to look Casey in the eyes.  
“Hey you’re the guy from yesterday” Leo held out his hand “I’m Leo”  
Casey didn’t shake his hand “I’ll be back later Bartowski, probably more than an hour”  
“Don’t be rude Casey”  
“Nice to meet you Casey”   
“Don’t call me that, you don’t know me” Casey growled.  
“Seriously, don’t be rude”  
“Not being rude, this is who I am, I don’t give two fucks about knowing him”  
“Woah man, what did I do?”  
“You don’t have to do anything, that’s just who he is” Morgan joined them.  
Casey walked away.

“Why did you have to be rude to him?” Chuck leaned up against the bookshelf where Casey was stocking some of the new books.  
“Why do I have to be nice, it’s not my style”  
“Well he comes in here at least once a day”  
“When are you going to tell him we fucked?”  
“Um never”  
“Cause that’s going to work”  
"It was an accident"  
"Oh right, I forgot you fell and my dick accidentally went in your ass and mouth, multiple times"  
“Shut up Casey, don’t act like you are some expert on relationships”  
“It’s common sense, now leave me alone, I have work to do”  
“You don’t actually have to do anything”  
“Well I’m not just gonna sit around and do nothing, I might get antsy and shoot something, or someone”  
“Well Leo is at work so you can’t shoot him”  
“I have good aim” Casey winked  
“Totally not gonna tell you where he works”  
“He is a nurse, he works with Ellie, she introduced you two"  
“You did a background check?”  
“Nope, it was in the file we got before coming here”  
“What was your reaction when you found out us three would be working together”  
Casey shrugged “DIdn’t put too much thought into it, a mission is a mission”  
“Why do you think Beckman put us all together”  
“We grew up here, we know the area, know the people, makes sense”  
“Did she not know about all the drama?”  
“No one cares”  
“I care”  
“Because you aren’t a trained spy, and you have girly emotions”  
“Rude, and I may not be trained in the field, but I am a spy, you’re just a jackass”  
“Not much has changed then” He smirked.  
Chuck rolled his eyes, “I need you to work early tomorrow, we have a book delivery, Morgan can take care of the books, you’ll be in charge of what’s hidden under them”  
“Yes boss”  
Chuck handed him a key “Here is the key to the apartment, it’s the only one”  
Casey grabbed it and added it to the keyring he pulled from his pocket “Thanks”  
“You do need to leave the cat door open”  
“Ten-four”

“How quiet can you be?” Chuck whispered in Casey’s ear, pressing his body against Casey’s back.  
“I’m one of the best assassins in the world Bartowski, I know how to be quiet”  
“I need you, I need you so bad” Chuck hand ran over the front of Casey’s pants  
“Two weeks, honestly thought it wouldn’t take so long” Casey turned to face him.  
“I’m prepped and ready”  
“You want me to fuck you right here in the back of the bookstore?”  
“Yes”  
“Why not take it up to the apartment”  
“It’s a quicky Casey, nothing else”  
Casey grabbed his hips and turned his back to him, and shoving him into the bookshelf, he made quick work of getting Chuck’s pants down just past his ass before opening the front of his pants, he chose a good day to go commando.  
“Lube?”  
“I should be slick enough” Chuck arched his back.  
Casey didn’t want to admit just how much he had been aching to have Chuck again, he had never been big on jacking off, but ever since he came back to Burbank he had been jacking off at least once a day thinking about Chuck.  
His fingers dug into Chuck’s hips as he slammed into him, trying not to go all the way in to avoid making any sound.  
“John” Chuck moaned, Casey’s grabbed Chuck’s hair, turning his head to face him “Don’t you dare come Bartowski” He slammed their lips together just a bit too hard. He didn’t want to come, he wanted to spend hours making Chuck moan and beg, but he had to settle for a quick fuck in the back of a bookstore. He had to bite into Chuck’s shoulder to stop himself from yelling out as he came.  
He pulled out and turned Chuck around, dropping down to his knees, he barely got his mouth on Chuck’s dick before he was filling his mouth with his release.  
“Shit” Chuck breathed out. “Almost didn’t make it”  
Casey licked his lips, savoring the taste not knowing when he would get it again.   
Chuck pulled him up into a kiss “Thanks”  
Casey zipped up his pants. “It’s time for my fifteen, I’m gonna head up and shower”  
“Think anyone notice if I went with you”  
“Not gonna happen, you’re going to enjoy my come leaking out of your ass until you get home tonight”  
“Seriously?”  
“Don’t act like you don't love it”  
“I hate you”  
Casey smirked “If that’s what you need to tell yourself”

Casey was glad no one could see him right now, yes he scanned the place for bugs and cameras daily. He was laying back on the couch enjoying his Sunday morning, O’Malley was on his chest purring way too loud, and Binx was laying on the couch between his legs, stretched out like he was sunbathing or something, cats are weird.  
He has become a cat person and he actually enjoys coming home and having them there to cuddle with him, but then his morning was quickly ruined.  
The door was kicked in, Casey grabbed his hidden gun from under the coffee table before jumping up and pointing it at the intruder, he would have to go get the cats some nice treats to apologize for flinging them off the couch when he jolted up.  
“What the fuck are you doing?” Casey growled  
“Where is he?”  
“Who?”  
“Don’t act like you don’t know”  
“I don’t even know who you are” Casey lied because sometimes pissing off an already pissed off person can be fun  
“I’m Chuck’s boyfriend Leo and you know it”  
“Chuck isn’t here, I’ve been living here alone for over a month now”  
“I saw you two last night”  
“Oh, which part? When I was fucking his pretty little mouth or that sinful ass of his?” Casey was an asshole and it made him smile seeing Leo crying.  
“Shut up”  
“Not my fault you don’t know how to take care of him and he needs to come to me to beg for what he wants”  
“Where is he?”  
Casey shrugged “I honestly don’t know and don’t care, all I know is you better fix that door or I’ll shot a hole in your foot”  
Leo stormed out.  
Not long after Leo left, Casey’s phone rang and he realized he probably should have warned him.

Chuckbacca: PINEAPPLE

MajorCasey: Where?  
MajorCasey: Chuck you can’t call pineapple with no location  
MajorCasey: Anyone have eyes on him?

AlexG: His car is in the driveway at the house, Leo’s car is there too, want me to check it out

MajorCasey: Absolutely not Alex, you’re pregnant, I’m on my way, where is your husband?

AlexG: He is at the grocery store, I was craving hot Cheetos

MajorCasey: Call him, lock the doors and stay away from Casa Bartowski

AlexG: What is going on?’

MajorCasey: I guess Leo saw us fucking last night

AlexG: Omg seriously, you two are ridiculous

JediMG: On my way home.  
JediMG: Leo isn’t a dangerous guy, I’m sure Chuck is fine

MajorCasey: He busted the door down to the apartment at the bookstore and then twenty minutes later Chuck calls pineapple...something is going on, I’ll update when I make sure he is okay.

Walker: On my way just in case

Thankfully Casey’s key still worked, he slowly opened the door, gun at the ready. He didn’t see anything out of the ordinary on the main floor so he made his way up to Chuck’s room.  
He checked the handle, the door was unlocked, he slowly pushed it open, not expecting to see Chuck completely naked tied to the bed with a ball gag in his mouth. Leo’s back to the door, Casey tucked his gun in the back of his pants before wrapping his arm around Leo’s neck and pulling him to the ground, Leo tried to fight back, making Casey laugh as he pinned him to the ground, he pulled a zip tie from his back pocket and tied his wrists together.   
“You good Chuck?” Chuck nodded, tears filling his eyes.  
Casey kept his foot on Leo’s back as he leaned over and pull the gag out of Chuck’s mouth “I’m assuming you did not consent to this”  
“Part of it” Chuck’s voice was broken and Casey just wanted to pull him into his arms and hold him. “But when I said stop he didn't”  
“Casey are you here?” Sarah called out  
“Don’t let her see me like this” Chuck said quickly  
“Yeah Walker, stay in the hallway” Casey pulled Leo up and shoved him out the door “Get him to Castle, lock him in the interrogation room until I get there”  
“Is Chuck okay?”  
“Physically yes”  
“Would it be easier if”  
“It’s fine Walker, just go” Casey shut and locked the bedroom door.   
He walked over and started untying Chuck.  
“What happened?”  
“I don’t want to talk about it”  
“He broke into the bookstore not long ago, I should have warned you”  
“Why?”  
“He saw us last night in my jeep”  
“Oh,” Chuck rubbed at the red spots forming around his wrists,   
“He wasn’t very happy, but I may have added gas to the fire”  
“Of course you did”  
“What do you expect Chuck? You hurt both of us, how long did you expect this to keep going on with no issue?”  
Chuck shrugged “I got love and affection and romance with him, which I don’t get from you and I got amazing sex from you and not from him”  
“You never tried to have more with me, you made it clear that it was only sex”  
“I’ve known you my entire life, I know that isn’t you”  
“I think we need to keep away from each other for a while”  
“Haven’t we tried that already?”  
“No, you kept saying it, but I did everything I could to make you keep coming back”  
“Seriously?”  
“Not gonna talk about this right now, I need to interrogate Leo and you’re naked and I can’t trust myself”  
“You don’t need to interrogate him”  
“When a civilian breaks into a secret base location and ties up an agent, they need to be questioned”  
“He broke into a bookstore and what he thought was my apartment, not because it’s a CIA base, and he tied me up because I’m a horrible boyfriend”  
“You are but that’s because you chose someone you don’t mesh with and didn’t want to break up with him because you are too nice”  
Chuck sighed.   
“I’m going to put in a request for a new mission”  
“Please don’t leave again” Chuck grabbed his hand, Casey pulled away  
“Coming here was a mistake, seeing you again was a mistake, I can’t fucking do this anymore Chuck, and I know if I stay I won’t be able to stop myself”  
“I don’t want it to stop”  
“And I don’t only want sex, so if I stay, we can’t do this anymore, maybe one day but not anytime soon”  
“John” Chuck tried to grab his hand again, and Casey let him “I’m sorry”  
“I’m going to find a new place to stay, I’m going to work at the coffee shop and Walker will be working at the bookstore”  
“I can’t imagine you making lattes”  
Casey stood up, “If you need anything, Alex is home and Grimes said he is on his way. I’m heading to Castle”  
“Be nice to him please”  
Casey laughed “Sure thing Bartowski”  
“I’m serious, he didn’t do anything wrong”  
“You were naked and tied to a bed”  
“He tricked me into thinking it was a sex thing, once I realized it was something else I told my phone to send a pineapple message then he gagged me”  
“I’ll keep that in mind when I have a nice chat with him, see ya around Bartowski”

“Where is Casey?”  
“I can’t tell you that”  
“Um, why not?”  
“Because I can’t”  
“Sarah come on”  
“Not gonna happen”  
“I thought we were a team”  
“He doesn’t want you to know, and I’m not going to tell you”  
“Is he coming back”  
“Maybe, but he doesn’t have to”  
“It’s been two weeks since the Leo thing and I haven’t seen him, I just want to know”  
“John Casey has never been an emotional person and I’m sure that the fact that he loves you scares him and then you add the hurt from the entire situation, I’m sure he isn’t processing it well, just give him the space he needs”  
“He had sex with me and left for over four years, I think that is plenty of time”  
“But when he came back you two had sex again and then you told him you had a boyfriend, can you not see how that hurt him”  
“He told me he didn’t want to be with me because he doesn't think he is capable of love, so I thought”  
“I don’t have any more to say on this Chuck, I’m not telling you where he is or giving you advice, but the John Casey you knew is not the same John Casey he is now”  
“How long have you two been working together?”  
“On and off for a year or so”  
"I know I fucked up, please tell me where he is?"  
"He is working, let it go Chuck, we have missions here to worry about"

-Two weeks later-

“Casey”  
“Chuck”  
“You’re back, and wearing a baby blue sweater” Chuck ran his hand down Casey’s arm “A very soft one”  
“It’s cashmere” A lady Chuck didn’t notice when he first came into Castle walked over to them. “It was a thank you gift for helping me all week”  
“And you are?”  
“Oh silly me, I’m Gertrude Verbanski”  
Casey glared at Chuck when he made a weird face “What the hell was that?”  
“Uh don’t worry about it, I have no control over it, sorry, it doesn’t mean anything negative”  
“We will be right back” Casey grabbed Chuck’s arm pulling him into the nearest interrogation room.   
“What the fuck was that Chuck” He shoved Chuck against the wall, which of course got Chuck’s dick very interested because the last time this happened Casey sucked his dick so good he thought he was going to blackout.  
“Nothing”  
“You’re lying”  
Chuck shrugged “I can’t tell you”  
“I have a high clearance level”  
“I know, but mine is higher”  
Casey glared at him  
“I’m serious, I have one of the highest levels possible, you do not”  
“Tell me”  
“I really can't”   
Casey’s hand tightened around his neck “Tell me right now”  
“You may think you are threatening me but honestly I’m really turned on”  
Casey growled, stepping away  
“Plus you can’t be threatening while wearing that sweater, which by the way, why are you wearing it?”  
“It was a gift”  
“What’s your point? I gave you those Star Wars socks for your tenth birthday and you never wore them”  
“I wore them all the time, shut up about the damn sweater”  
“Do you like her?”  
“Yeah, we are friends, met a few years ago in Italy on a job, we work together on occasion, she likes to buy me nice things so I wear them until she leaves then they get buried in my closet”  
Chuck laughed “I mean she has great taste, your eyes look fantastic”  
“Shut up”  
“Seriously though, we can talk to Beckman about you knowing, but you would have to stay working for my team and you won’t be able to go on independent cases anymore, it’s seriously top secret and if the wrong person finds out I’ll be in trouble”  
“What the hell is going on Chuck?”  
“I’m fine and I’ll be safe as long as no one finds out, that’s why you and Sarah are here, to keep me safe”  
“Overqualified babysitters”  
“Remember how my dad was never around?”  
Casey nodded.   
“He works for the CIA, he has since college, that’s how they knew to track me down at Stanford. He makes gadgets and we have been working on some pretty serious stuff, some of it is what got Bryce killed, he worked with my dad on stuff, apparently, he was a lot smarter than we thought, guess my dad suggested Bryce for the CIA and then Byrce suggested Sarah, it’s all connected in some crazy way”  
“Gertrude is here because she needs our help, I told her you are great at research and would help”  
“Are you two a couple”  
“Really?’ Casey rolled his eyes and left the room.

-One month later- 

“Chuck”  
Chuck blinked his eyes a few times “What?”  
“How are you feeling?”  
Chuck looked around “Where am I?” he pulled at the restraints holding his arms to the hospital bed.  
“You’re in a room in Castle”  
“What’s Castle? Who are you? What the hell is going on”  
“John Casey”  
“Why can’t I remember anything, like I have no memory of anything at all, my mind is just blank”  
“You fried it”  
“What?”  
“You work for the CIA and you created this thing that basically put all the government's secrets in your head and I’m not smart enough to fully understand how it works so I’m not sure how to explain it to you, but you just knew things and even how to fight with no training, you flew a helicopter with no issue”  
“Seems like a crazy movie”  
“Yeah, pretty much”  
“Did something happen to make me forget?”  
“We aren’t sure, I found you on the floor, your dad is flying in from who knows where to see if he can help, you two worked on the project together”  
“Who are you?”  
“We grew up together, went our separate ways after high school then got assigned to work together a few months ago”  
“How did we meet?”  
“Our moms met in high school, bought houses next to each other and had us about seven months apart, they are currently on a cruise together”  
“That’s fun, did we not talk after high school?”  
“Uh it’s a long story”  
“I’m clearly not going anywhere”  
“If I untie you will you stay put?”  
“Yeah”  
“See you said that earlier, but you attacked me”  
“Sorry”  
“You were a nerd, I was jock, we had some rough patches then we got super close senior year and I did some things to fuck it up and I went to the Marines, you went to Stanford”  
“And now?”  
“You were kind of the one who fucked it up”  
“Am I gay?”  
Casey nodded  
“I figured because you’re very good looking”  
“We lost our virginities to each other”  
Chuck’s eyes went wide “You’re gay too”  
“It's complicated”  
A tear fell down Chuck’s cheek “Can you please just tell me everything, help me remember?”  
Casey used his thumb to wipe away the tear, trying hard to stop himself from crying. “This is the third time we’ve had this conversation, everything seems fine, then you pass out and forget all over again”  
“Oh”  
“We even tried the cliche kiss last time”  
“So my brain is fucked up forever?”  
Casey shrugged “Not sure, we think your dad can figure it out, he is fucking insane but smart as hell”  
“My dad is in the CIA, our moms are on a cruise, where is your dad?”  
“He died when we were thirteen”  
“I’m sorry”  
“I have a younger sister, Alex, she is pregnant and married to our friend Morgan, Me you Morgan and Sarah met in Kindergarten and you have an older sister Ellie, who is married to Devon and they have a one-year-old named Clara”  
“Wow”  
“So are we a couple? You said we kissed”  
“No, but we love each other”  
“Let me guess, it’s complicated.”  
“Something like that”  
“Is memory recovering sex a thing”  
Casey laughed “Usually you lose brain function after I fuck you” he winked, Chuck blushed.   
“I’m really sad”  
“I’m sorry” Casey grabbed his hand “I do have to admit that I’m enjoying sitting here and talking with you, it’s been a few weeks”  
“Please tell me what happened?”  
“I came back to town, we spent the night having sex, you told me you had a boyfriend and wanted to stay with him, but you kept coming back to me and I didn’t stop you, your boyfriend found out and tied you to a bed, then we decided to stop talking”  
“I’m an asshole”  
“We both are, I invited a female friend here, she always flirts with me and I flirted back and made you think we were sleeping together to make you jealous, and it worked“  
“Rude”  
“I wish I didn’t because now she won’t leave me alone”  
“I think you should try kissing me again”  
Casey leaned forward, gently pressing their lips together, Chuck gripped the front of Casey’s shirt to stop him from moving as he deepened the kiss.  
“Even with no memory you two still manage to fall in love, I think that’s destiny or maybe Chuck is faking all this to try and get you back”  
Chuck let go of Casey’s shirt “Chuck meet Morgan Grimes, the best friend”  
“Hi” Chuck awkwardly waved.  
“Still empty up there?”  
Chuck nodded.  
“This is progress, last time we kissed he blacked out again”  
“Well Papa Bartowski is here, so maybe last time was well the last time”  
“Go ahead and send him in”  
“Don’t leave” Chuck grabbed Casey’s arm “Please”  
Casey sat back down in the chair he had pretty much lived in for the last forty-eight hours.  
“Hello Charles, John” he nodded at them  
“Stephan” Casey nodded back  
“Any change?”  
“He has been awake for about a half-hour so far, still no memory”  
“This won’t bring his memory back” He put a watch on Chuck’s left wrist “But it should stop him from losing any new memories”  
“Is there something we can say to trigger the intersect to see if he can flash?”  
“Colonel John Casey”  
Chuck screamed in pain, Casey jumped up and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into his arms. “Shh it’s okay, I’m here” Chuck’s body went limp in his arms “Come on Chuck, don’t do this to me again” Casey laid Chuck’s limp body back down on the bed. He took the chair and threw it into the wall, “Fuck!” he yelled.   
Sarah came into the room “Hey John, maybe you should go get some fresh air”  
“I can’t leave him”  
“I’ll stay with him, the second he wakes up I’ll call you, go check on the cats, I think that will help”  
“You’re kidding right”  
“No, we all know how much you love those cats”  
“You better fucking call me”  
“I promise as long as you promise to get some sleep, you look like shit”  
“This is just my face Walker” he growled.  
Casey headed upstairs to the apartment, he gave the cats some of the really expensive wet food he got them for a treat, he made himself a ham and cheese sandwich, while they ate, then he laid down in his bed, whistling for the cats to join him. He had them trained well, Binx laid down on his chest and O’Mally took his place on his thighs. The calming pur from the cats and his exhaustion made it easy to fall asleep.

A few hours later Casey was woken up by his phone ringing “How is Chuck?”  
“Nothing yet, but Alex’s water broke, I’m on the way to get her and take her to the hospital, Devon is on his way to check on Chuck and refresh his I.V. stuff.”  
“I’m going to shower and I’ll meet you at the hospital”

"John" Morgan came running into the waiting, getting some glares from the other people waiting.  
Casey who had been pacing since he got there and learned Alex had to have an emergency c-section stopped to look at Morgan.  
"It's a boy, a very healthy boy"   
Casey would probably regret hugging Morgan because Morgan would never stop talking about it but it felt right in the moment.  
He followed Morgan back to the room where they waited maybe ten minutes for Ale and the baby to be wheeled in.  
"How are you feeling Lex?"  
"Amazing" She gave him a weak smile, "I love him so much" he hand brushed over the baby's cheek. "I want you to meet James Casey Grimes"  
"Alex"  
"Is that okay?"  
"It's perfect" Casey lifted the tiny baby and held him against his chest. He wasn't aware he could love someone he didn't even know this much.   
Morgan's phone rang, getting a glare from Casey and Alex.  
"It's the work phone" he stepped out into the hallway to answer it.  
"I'm so proud of you Alex, you are going to be the best mom"  
"Thanks, Johnny"  
"Last I heard mom was about two hours away, she is going to cry when she hears the name"  
"We wanted to name him after our two favorite men, but we will probably call him J.C"  
"He would be so proud of you"  
Morgan came back into the room, "Hey Casey, um it's Chuck, I think you need to head to Castle. It's not good"


	4. Chapter 4

John looked over at his sister  
“It’s okay Johnny, we understand, go figure out what is going on with Chuck, J.C. will be here when you get back”  
“Chuck needs us all right now but we can't be there so you need to be” Morgan grabbed his son from Casey’s arms “Please make sure he is okay Casey, we need him”  
Casey gave Alex a hug and kissed her forehead “Love you sis”

“Stephen, what the fuck is going on?” Casey burst through the door.  
“I’m not sure, I’ve been working on it non stop, this watch should have worked but he started seizing and I haven’t been able to wake him up”  
“What are all the cord for?” He looked through the wall of glass separating the room Stephen was in and the makeshift hospital room Chuck was in.  
“I’m monitoring his brainwaves, they are super active and responsive that’s why I can’t figure out why he isn’t waking up" Stephen looked up at him "You wouldn't happen to know the password to his computer would you?”  
“Why the hell would I know it?”  
“You two were close, just asking, he is the best hacker there is, no way I can get past anything he set up and if I can see what he did to give himself the intersect then maybe I can fix what’s wrong”  
"We haven't been close in a very long time, call Grimes again and ask"  
"Already asked him"  
Casey sighed, "Can I go in there?"   
"Yeah, talk to him, let him know we are here"  
"I'll do my best"

Casey sat on the chair next to the bed. "What the fuck did you do Bartwoski" He growled, not saying another word as he laced their fingers together. "Wake up, Chuck, don't leave me alone here, don't go where I can't follow"  
"Did you really just quote Lord of the Rings?  
"Grimes why the hell are you here?"  
"Alex made me come see Chuck, she needs sleep and J.C has to have some tests done and she could tell I was panicking thinking about my buddy"  
“I’ll give you a few minutes with him, but then I want you back at the hospital with Alex and James, I’ll call if anything happens” It hurt Casey to say his father’s name out loud for the first time in many years but it also made him happy that Alex was passing along the name and memory. He squeezed Chuck's hand before standing up to allow Morgan to sit before leaving the room.

Casey headed up to his apartment, realizing he had not had anything to eat in a long time, he started a pot of coffee before looking through the fridge and freezer, he found a frozen pizza on the bottom shelf, he pulled it out and when he saw it was a supreme he knew it must have been Chuck’s and he lost it. He threw the pizza across the room “FUCK” he yelled, his voice cracking, he felt bad for scaring the cats and he would make it up to the later with treats.  
“Johnny”  
Casey turned around “Mom, what are you…”  
“I dropped off Mary so she could see Chuck and I thought I’d check on you before heading to meet my grandson, I ran into Morgan, he is going to give me a ride"  
“I’m not okay mom” he started to cry, he collapsed onto the ground, his mom ran over and wrapped her arms around him. Casey had been holding in so much emotion related to Chuck since the day they graduated, and the last time he cried this hard was when his father died.  
“Do you want to talk about it?”  
“No” he managed to get out.  
“When you old it in this happens, it all comes out at once”  
“I love him and I fucked it all up, I can’t lose him, I can’t”  
“Does he know”  
“Yeah, maybe, I don’t know…..I broke his heart and left for four years and was selfish and wanted him for myself when he was with someone else and then pushed him away and now he is dying”  
“I think you need to go spend as much time with him that you can and tell him everything you have been holding on to, after you eat of course”  
“I’m not hungry”  
“John, listen to me, I know this sucks but you can’t shut down again, not like when your father died. You need to stay strong for Charles, he needs to know you are there for him and will be when he wakes up and that you love him”  
“He deserves so much more”  
“He might” She teased “But he has loved you for as long as I can remember and I don’t think you knew it at the time but you have loved him for just as long”  
“I think you need to go see Alex and baby James”  
“You promise me that you will take care of yourself, mentally and physically”  
“Yes mother”  
“I’ll call you tonight”  
“Love you” he hugged her  
“Love you” she kissed his forehead before they both stood up

“Anything new?” Casey wheeled a chair over to sit next to Stephen  
“I think so, when Mary was talking to him his brain waves were quit active, I put the watch on him with some upgrades, hoping it will do something but I’m working on other stuff just in case”  
“Did you figure out the password?”  
“Nope”  
“I think you should try this” ‘!AquilaCB0211’ Casey wrote it down on a post-it  
“What is that?”  
“Aquila is a constellation, it’s Latin for eagle, he said it reminded him of my father and me and one day we would get a dog and name is Aquila Casey Bartowski, and that's the password he uses for the app he made our friend group”  
Stephen opened Chuck’s laptop and typed in the password.   
A message popped up ‘The terrible troll raises his sword”  
“Attack troll with nasty knife” Casey responded   
“What?”  
“Type attack troll with nasty knife, it’s from a D&D game we used to play”  
“It worked" Stephen started clicking through the files on Chuck's computer. "You should go in and see him?"  
"Is Mary in there?"  
"No, she went with your mother to see the baby"  
"I need to know he will be okay, promise me you will fix this"  
"I can't promise that, but he is my son so I'm trying my hardest" he handed Casey a small black object.  
"What is this?"  
"Push the button and rub it across his forehead a few times then keep it in the middle for a minute and report back to me"  
Casey raised an eyebrow. "Uh okay"

Casey sat down on the edge of the bed, he did what Stephen told him to do. 

He grabbed Chuck's hand. "I'm so mad at you for doing this to yourself, my mother told me to get my ass down here and talk to you but I'm not good with words"  
He leaned down and pressed his forehead to Chuck's "I'm so sorry for everything" he whispered as a tear fell from his eye.

"Hello?"  
Casey jolted awake "Chuck"  
"What is this place?"  
"We are at Castle"  
"What's that? Are you my doctor?"  
Casey's heart sank "It's the place we work and no I'm a friend"  
"A boyfriend?"  
Casey couldn't help but let out a small chuckle "It's a long story"  
"What happened to make me lose my memory? Well I'm assuming I lost it, like I know my name but you don't look familiar" Chuck pushed the button to raise the head of his bed.  
"John Casey"   
"Nothing"  
"We work for the CIA, you created some kind of program and I'm pretty sure it fried your brain"  
"Damn"  
Casey pulled out his phone "Let me give you a quick rundown on the important people in your life and if you can stay awake for a few hours I'll break you out of here"  
Casey spent two hours going through pictures on his and Chuck's phone telling him stories of their life.   
"So we aren't together?"  
"No"  
"Sounds like we should be"  
Casey laughed "This is the fourth time you have woken up with no memory and asked me something similar and we have kissed every time. But this is the first time you have remembered your name"  
"Are we going to kiss this time?"  
"I don't think it's a good idea"  
"Okay"  
Casey sighed "I'm in love with you Chuck and this is the second hardest thing I've ever had to deal with in my life. I'm not an emotional person. I don't like talking about my feelings so I need to make sure that if I decide to tell you everything I want you to remember it"  
"I'm sorry"  
"Don't be"

It's been a really long four months, Chuck still had no memories back but all his friends and family have been trying their best to fill him in on anything they can. It hasn't been easy, but things are starting to get back to normal.  
Stephen ended up making improvements to the watch and Chuck was back working for the CIA and the bookstore opened back up.

"Want to have dinner tonight?"  
Casey was unloading the pallet of new books "Why are you asking? We eat together almost nightly"  
"Uh I meant just us"   
Chuck and Casey were both living in the Bartowski house with Ellie and Devon while their moms lived in the Casey household with Morgan, Alex and J.C, no one knew where Stephen was at the moment. But now that everyone was in one place they had family dinners almost nightly.  
"Sure, where?"  
"Upstairs, I'm going to cook"  
"So we're ordering pizza"  
"Shut up, I'm getting better"  
"Okay"  
"I'm serious, I made salmon with asparagus and red potatoes with a sauce last night for Ellie and Devon, Clara even ate some"  
"And they are still alive?"  
"Yes asshole" Chuck teasingly smacked his arm "And maybe you can show me some of those guitar skills"   
Casey had decided to get guitar lessons to distract himself from his feelings for Chuck for it ended up doing the complete opposite.  
"I'll think about it"  
"Pleeeeese, I wanna know what you've been writing in that notebook"  
"Never gonna happen"  
"I'm sure I could persuade you" Chuck winked, Casey dropped a box of books on his foot "Dammit" he growled pulling his foot free  
"Shit are you okay?"  
"I'll see you for dinner Bartowski" Casey needed to step outside for some fresh air.

"Dinner was good, thanks Chuck"  
"So can you play me a song?"  
"Will you ever let it go?"  
"Nope, I wanna hear you play"  
"Fine"  
"So what songs do you know? Can I pick one?"  
"No, it's one I wrote" Casey walked over and grabbed his guitar than sat on the couch"  
"Oh, I'm so excited" Chuck sat on the coffee table across from Casey.  
"I'm not a professional, so no laughing"  
"I would never"  
"We used to ride around in my truck singing together"  
"Really? that's fun"  
"Only time you ever listened to country music"  
"I had no idea, we should totally do that again"  
"I'll think about it"

Casey cleared his throat, playing a few notes before he started singing "I'm just flesh and bone, heart and soul and I've earned a couple scars, I've let once in a lifetime kind of things slide right out of my arms, I've struck out, I've been knocked down more times than I can count, but that don't matter now 'cause when you smile I see the sun sink down on a coast out in California and there's no doubt because of you, I'm not the man I was before you" Chuck looked up, locking eyes with Chuck  
"I'm not saying that I'm perfect oh 'cause you know I'm not, but I'll love you with everything I've got boy. I'll give you my best shot….you saw a spark inside of me that no one else could find, your good morning eyes, they get me high you're always on my mind….It's like angels singing every time I hear your name"   
Chuck surged forward and kissed him, Casey fumbled with his guitar strap trying to get it undone and off his lap without breaking his mouth away from Chuck's so he could have Chuck in his lap instead, it wasn't working. "Stop" he pulled away.  
"Sorry, you just wrote that song and it was amazing and I've been trying to think of a way to kiss you for months and"  
"Shut up Bartowski, I just wanted to set my guitar down"   
"It turns me on when you call me by my last name"  
"Turns me on when you call me by my first name" Casey stood up, grabbing the front of Chuck's shirt on his way up.  
"Where are we going?"  
"The bed" Casey turned him around and shoved him down.  
"Fuck" Chuck breathed out.  
"That the plan"  
"Straight from a kiss to sex"  
"Right, I forgot you have no memory of our sex life"  
“I’m sorry”  
“Don’t apologize”  
“I don’t remember what sex is like, so it's like I’m losing my virginity all over again”  
“Sure you want to give that to me again”  
“I’ve never been more sure of anything”  
“Maybe we should take it slow”  
“How about sex then we can talk about taking it slow”  
“The problem with us is once it starts we can't stop”  
“Really?”  
“I had a plan to never tell you about it”  
“I want to know” Chuck sat up on the bed pulling Casey closer “Please”  
“It was a bad time for both of us”  
“Worse than us having sex for the first time and you leaving and us not talking for five years?”  
“Bad in a different way”  
“Oh, are you going to tell me”  
“When I came back, we couldn’t keep our hands off of each other, we tried to stop but we just couldn’t, to the point of where we couldn’t be in the same room as each other”  
“What was the problem with that”  
“We were having sex in the bookstore, in the middle of the day, oh and the fact that you had a boyfriend”  
“I had a boyfriend?”  
“Leo”  
“I dated someone named Leo”  
“Yeah, he caught us and tied you to a bed, naked”  
“That’s fucked up”  
“I told you to break up with him but you didn’t want to, you wanted the love and affection from him and the sex from me”  
“Oh god I’m an asshole”  
“We both were”  
“What was our relationship like before I lost my memory?”  
“We agreed to stay apart and I left with a friend of mine that I met many years ago and you were convinced I was fucking her and got so mad but you helped her with her mission and she left, then we kept our distance until the shit happened with your brain”  
“So even after losing my memory I still manage to fall for you”  
“Don’t get too sappy”  
Chuck laughed “Can you tell me about our first time together?”  
Casey pulled Chuck’s shirt up “Lift your arms” Casey pulled his shirt off, “Lay down” When he did Casey pulled off his socks then his pants. “No underwear?”  
“I’d like to say something sexy but honestly I just haven’t done laundry”  
Casey laughed “Move up to the pillow”   
Chuck moved up on the bed as he watched Casey strip his clothes off then lay down next to him.  
“Rollover”  
“I don’t get to look at you?”  
“Trust me” Casey smirked.   
Chuck gave him a quick kiss before rolling over.   
Casey positioned himself behind Chuck, pressing their bodies together.   
“So it was graduation night” his hand slowly started rubbing up and down Chuck’s chest “We had planned to go to your house, eat shitty food and play games, but we were changing out of our suits and I kissed you” he trailed a line of kisses along Chuck’s shoulder. “Then I confessed to you that I wanted you and like usual you wanted to talk about it first”  
Chuck let out a small laugh “What happened first?”  
“You fingered yourself while I jacked you off, but then you made me stop because you didn’t want to come” Casey’s hand wrapped around the base of Chuck’s cock “Then I got to take a turn at fingering you”  
Chuck moaned.   
“I don’t remember why we were laughing but we both started laughing and your ass was strangling my dick”   
“That’s funny”  
Casey leaned over Chuck slightly smashing him into the bed so he could grab the lube from the drawer “We didn’t last long, but we both were so happy”  
“Did we do anything else?”  
“We took a shower together” Casey lubed himself up, positioning his cock between Chuck’s cheeks. “We washed each other, both smiling so much our faces hurt, kissing so much our lips were bright red” He thrust forward, moaning at the tightness, Chuck tried not to laugh when Casey’s dick hit the back of his balls, he had never done anything like this and it felt weird and good at the same time. “Sounds nice”  
“We laid like this and talked for a little bit, and fell asleep like this”  
Chuck moaned as Casey’s thrusts and stroked got faster.   
“God Chuck, I’ve miss this, missed us”  
“We can make new memories”  
Casey moved quickly to turn Chuck over and wrap his hand around both their cocks, “I love you” Chuck whispered against Casey’s lips,   
Casey’s orgasm washed over him before he even realized it “You too Chuck, you too”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the song Casey sings in Best Shot by Jimmie Allen


	5. Chapter 5

"John" Chuck yelled from his bedroom "John"  
Casey came running up the stairs "Are you okay?"  
Chuck held up a piece of paper "I was packing up stuff in my room and I found the letter you left me"  
"Did you read it?"  
"Not yet"

It's been just over six months since Chuck and Casey started dating, Ellie and Devon were now expecting their second child, another girl and the house next to theirs was for sale so they bought it. Alex, Morgan and baby James were still living in the old Casey house which is now the Grime's house and the Bartowski house is now the Casey-Bartowski house. Stephan was still m.i.a, Elizabeth and Mary were now retired and living in Florida. Today Chuck and Casey decided to clean out their new house and make it their own. 

"I've told you most of it, but I don't remember everything I wrote so you can if you want"  
"What if it makes all my memories come back"  
"I highly doubt that"  
"I think you should throw it away" Chuck handed the folded piece of paper to Casey.   
"If you really want me to then I will"  
"Yeah, I love my life right now, I don't want my memories back, I have everything I need right here and now"  
Casey tucked the note in his back pocket before pulling Chuck up off the floor. "I think it's time to take a break" Casey kissed him gently on the temple. "A very naked break"  
"I like that idea" Chuck playfully pushed Chuck down on the bed.

Chuck was laying on a blanket under the big tree in their backyard reading a book, Casey had gone to the gym so Chuck was using this time for some me-time.  
When Devon and Ellie bought the house next door there was a fence separating the yards, thankfully Devon has three brothers who are equally as athletic as him and they spent a week redoing all three backyards and making it so there was one big fence for all three yards and they had these huge trees planted and tons of flowers, it was really nice and Chuck loved that he got to have this unique experience with his family.  
“Huck” he heard a small voice call out, he sat down his book, sitting up he looked over to see Clara attempting to run towards him, she was still learning to run and it was absolutely adorable.  
“Hi Princess Clara” He scooped her up in his arms. “Where is your mommy”  
Her little hand pointed over to a very pregnant Ellie who was slowly making her way over to them. “Baby”  
“How are you feeling Ellie?”  
“I made you cookies” he handed Chuck a baggie  
“What do you want?” He laughed.  
“Devon just left for a twelve-hour night shift, and I’m on the verge of giving birth and exhausted”  
“Yes we will watch Clara tonight” He grabbed a cookie and split it with Clara.  
“Thanks, baby brother”  
“We love babysitting, it’s no problem”  
“When are you two going to have a baby?”  
“A few years from now, we are enjoying our alone time, and our jobs aren’t really great for having a family”  
“That’s true, and whenever you decide you guys will be the best parents”  
“I don’t know about that, but we will try”  
“I have decided on a name for baby girl” Ellie rubbed her stomach  
“Please tell me it’s not an Ikea spoon” They both laughed.  
“Charlotte Jane”  
“I like that”  
“She is named after you, Charlotte is the female version of Charles, and Jane is Devon’s grandmother”  
“That is so special, are you going to call her Charlie?”  
“We talked about Charlie and CJ”  
“Are you excited to be a big sister” Chuck tickled Clara’s stomach  
Clara let out a loud laugh.  
“Who is that laughing in my backyard?” came a deep voice. Clara squealed as she took off running towards Casey who easily picked her up and tossed her in the air before catching her and holding her tight in his arms, making her laugh even harder.   
“Unkey Case” she kissed his cheek, he kissed the top of her head   
“What are you doing here Clara bear?”  
“I stay night”   
Casey looked over to Chuck and Ellie.  
“I told Ellie we would watch her as long as she needs, also she made me cookies and I can’t say no to cookies”  
“Well luckily for you, our plans for tonight can include a tiny human”  
“I didn’t know we had plans”  
“It’s a surprise” he winked at Chuck “So Clara what are we gonna do for dinner? You can pick anything you want”  
“Ice cream”  
Casey let out a small laugh, “We will for sure get ice cream after”  
“Pits-ah?”  
“Pits-ah sounds gross, but how does pizza sound?”  
“WIth cheese”  
“Of course”  
“God they are so cute together” Chuck whispered to his sister  
“Just imagine what it will be like with your kids”  
“So yeah, we got her, go take care of yourself and relax”  
“I’ll drop off some stuff for her while you guys are out”  
“Love you sis”  
“Love you too Chuck”

“Where are we going?”  
“I told you it was a surprise”  
“Park” Clara called from the backseat  
“We can go to the park tomorrow, it's too late tonight”  
“Otay” Clara sighed  
“She is so cute”  
“She also has you wrapped around her little finger”  
“What’s the problem with that? James will probably have me wrapped around his finger too but he doesn’t like anyone but Alex at the moment”  
“I want a daughter”  
“It would be nice?”  
“When?”  
Casey glanced over at his boyfriend “Are we on a timeline?”  
“Well no, I was just making a statement”  
“How many little ones do you want?”  
“Can we start with one and go from there?”  
“I’m fine with that, but let’s start with this”   
Chuck had been looking at Casey and not looking out the front to see where they were going, so he turned to look and saw they were at the animal shelter.  
“Wait, what are we doing here?”  
“Getting a dog”  
“Puppy?”   
“Yeah Clara, you want to help uncle Chuck and Casey pick out a dog?”  
“Yes,” she shrieked.  
“Are you serious Casey?”  
“Yeah, we have always talked about getting a dog, we tried to convince our parents to let us share one when we were younger but they never let us have any pets, then when you opened the bookstore you got the two cats and now that we have the house and yard done I thought it was time to look for a pup”  
“You’re amazing and I love you”

“I want them all”  
“Maybe one day, but we are starting with one”  
“How the hell do I choose?”  
“Close your eyes and choose”  
“I think we should get two”  
Casey rolled his eyes   
“Just listen to my idea, we get Pepper because he is old and has been here forever and deserves a better life, and then we get Scotch because I love him and they look the same just different colors”  
“Sounds good to me”

“Pepper is a dalmatian mix and Scotch is a Catahoula leopard dog mixed with a yellow lab, which is why his spots are that light brown color” Alice who worked at the shelter and had been helping them with the dogs had brought the two dogs into this small room so Chuck, Casey, and Clara could pet them and see if the two dogs would get along.  
Clara couldn’t stop laughing as she rolled around on the ground with them.  
“Pepper hasn’t been this active since she came into the shelter almost a year ago”  
“Well Clara is our niece and she lives next door so he will be able to play with her anytime”  
“Why did she get surrendered to the shelter?” Casey was sitting on the floor keeping an eye on Clara.  
“The sad truth is a lot of people think their dog is old and they would rather give it up than watch it pass, but in most cases, the dog has many years ahead of them, like in Pepper’s case, she is only nine and very healthy, so she probably has many more years in her”  
“That makes me really sad, I would never do that, and I would love to take her home and give her all the love I can”  
“Well she is yours if you want her and Scotch seems to love you, so if you want him too I think you guys are a great match”   
Scotch was doing his best to sit on Chuck’s lap, his entire body shaking with how hard he was wagging his tail as Chuck rubbed both hands over him.  
Chuck looked over to Casey, who had a smile on his face. “Where do we sign?”

\---------------------------

Chuck looked at the whiteboard hanging in their bedroom window, then glanced over at Casey with a confused look on his face. “Yes?”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Obviously I would love to marry you, I’m just a bit thrown off by why you wrote it on a dry erase board”  
“Fuck” Casey stood up “I’m such an idiot”  
“No, you’re not”  
“Just forget this happened, I’ll make it better”  
“Stop” Chuck grabbed his hand “Give me that damn ring then explain”  
Casey slid the black band onto Chuck’s finger. “I can’t believe I never told you about the boards”  
“You can tell me now”  
Casey sighed   
“It’s fine John” Chuck wrapped his arms around Casey “I love you”  
“It’s how we used to communicate, we had the boards in our bedroom windows, we usually would just write stupid shit, but sometimes we would share secrets and struggles because it was easier to write it than talk about it. I’d always ask you for answers to our homework”  
“That’s so freaking cute”  
“It was such a big part of our friendship, how could I have not told you”  
“Don’t beat yourself up over it, I can’t expect you to remember every detail of the last twenty-five years of my life. I’m so happy right now”  
“I love you Bartowski, and I want to marry you, will you be my husband”  
“I’d love nothing more than to be mister Casey-Bartwoski”  
Casey laughed “When we were little our parents always thought you and Alex would get married and there would be a Casey-Bartwoski wedding and you cried because you didn’t want to marry Alex because she had cooties”  
Chuck laughed “When did I come out?”  
“High school, but we will talk about that later, I don’t want to ruin the moment”  
“Was it bad”  
“Our moms bought you a rainbow cake for your birthday and we all surrounded you with love, that’s all that matters right now”  
“What if one day we are like sixty and I just wake up and remember everything from my past that I had forgotten but then have no memory of what happened from now until then”  
“Shut up” Casey kissed him  
“This is the part where we make love right?’  
Casey hummed “Maybe” he looked at his watch “We have ten minutes”  
“Till what?”  
“We walk out into our backyard where our friends and family will yell surprise and we eat, drink and dance”  
Chuck playfully bit at his bottom lip “Ten minutes, I can work with that” he winked, giving Casey a quick kiss before dropping to his knees.

About fifteen minutes later they walked out to their backyard where Ellie, Devon, Clara, Charlotte, Alex, Morgan, James, and Sarah were all waiting for them.  
“Let me see the ring” Ellie grabbed Chuck’s hand “Tell me everything”  
“Um it was a private moment between the two of us”  
Ellie raised an eyebrow “I’m not talking about the sex, that’s obvious by how messy your hair is and the hickey on John’s neck”  
Casey glared at him “Seriously Bartowski?” He rubbed his hand over his neck “I proposed using the old whiteboard but he had no memory of it and apparently I forget to tell him about it so it was awkward and didn’t go as planned then we had a nice chat and he agreed to marry me”  
“So when is the big day?”   
Casey grabbed Charlie from Ellie’s arms “We have to pick a date now?”  
“No, but usually couples have an idea”  
“I’d like to get married in the mountains, in the fall when the leaves are all orange and red, and the weather isn’t hot but it’s not super cold and we all stay in a big cabin together for the weekend, then we get married on a Sunday and then we fly out early Monday for our honeymoon”  
“Well one of us has been thinking about it” Casey was tickling the almost one-year-old, making her laugh  
“Have you not?”  
“Not in detail like that, but I think it’s a great idea”  
“It’s July, so would it be this fall or next?”  
“Next,” they said at the same time.   
“Pepper and Clara can be the flower girls while Scotch and James can be the ring bearers” Chuck laughed, Casey and Ellie rolled their eyes.

\--------------------------

“Casey I need you to come home, now”  
“What’s going on?”  
“We need to possibly cancel the wedding”  
“Bartowski what the hell are you talking about?”  
“Cindy called, we have a foster coming tonight”  
“Shit, I knew she said it could be quick but a few hours notice”  
“Yeah, all I know is she is a teenager and her name is Sloane”  
“I’m getting in the car now, should I stop and get stuff for her or should we wait and take her with us?”  
“Let’s wait, since she is a teenager she may be picky”  
“Did Cindy say anything else?”  
“Nope, but we can’t go on a honeymoon now that we have a kid, we can’t just leave her behind with one of our sisters”  
“We can still have our weekend in the cabin with everyone and still have our wedding, the honeymoon can wait”  
“Right, okay, I’ll start working on canceling that and I’ll see you when you get home”

“Hi, um I’m Chuck and this is John, he goes by Casey”  
Sloane waved at them. “Do you have food? I’m starving”  
“Yeah” Chuck pointed towards the kitchen “Help yourself to anything, we are planning to go shopping tonight, we were waiting for you”  
“Cool”  
Cindy waited until Sloane left the room “She just turned fourteen, and he parents kicked her out because she came out as bisexual and she has no other family, one of her teachers at school called us, she is a good kid and when I met her I instantly thought of you two, plus I think being with a gay couple could help her”  
“It makes me so sad that there are parents out there that could just give up on their kids because of who they love”  
“It's very sad but it happens daily”  
“How long will we have her?” Casey kept trying to peek into the kitchen to see what she was doing.  
“There is a bunch of factors in that, could be a few months, could be a few years”  
“Does she have bags or anything?”  
“All she has is her backpack and one change of clothes, her parents didn’t let her take anything else”  
“My heart hurts for her, we can take her shopping for stuff and we have a room set up already and we are going to take her shopping, maybe our sisters have some old clothes that would fit her”  
“Well if you need anything give me a call, thank you both so much for your generous hearts, I’ll be in touch soon and congratulations on the wedding”  
“Thank you”

Chuck and Casey walked into the kitchen to see Sloane sitting on the counter eating out of a can of pringles, a lunchmeat sandwich half-eaten sitting on the counter next to her and a package of peanut butter cookies and a can of sprite sitting on the other side.  
“I’m sorry, I’ll clean it up”  
“It’s fine, Chuck is messier than you”  
“When is the last time you ate?”  
“It’s been two weeks since I got kicked out so I don’t often have breakfast and dinner but I do get a pb&j with one fruit or vegetable and some chips at school but that's it” She sat the chips down and grabbed her sandwich “Please don’t look at me like that, it’s okay”  
“I’m sad that you had to deal with that, we both got so lucky with our love and support from my family and it just blows my mind that parents are like that”  
Sloane shrugged “So I saw dog bowls and a few toys, but I don’t see the dogs”  
“We put them outside so they didn’t rush at you when you got here, there is two, Pepper and Scotch”  
“So can I meet them?”  
Casey went over and open the door, letting out a whistle to call the dogs in, not surprised at all that both dogs had bows clipped to their collars.  
“I see you two saw Clara” he laughed   
“Who is Clara?” Sloane jumped down off the counter and kneeled down on the floor so she could love on both dogs.  
“My sister’s oldest”  
“Do they live next door?”  
“Yeah, this house is where Chuck grew up with his older sister Ellie, and her husband Devon live next door with their two daughters Clara and Charlotte then on the other side of us is the house I grew up in with my younger sister Alex and her husband Morgan, they have a son James are Alex is pregnant”  
“That’s cool”  
“Tomorrow we will show you the big backyard that we all share and introduce us to all of them”  
“Can you call one of your sisters to let me know what to buy for my period”  
Chuck laughed at how red Casey’s face got, “Yeah, I’ll ask Ellie to come over, she is a nurse”  
“Good, because I’m confused at the stuff they gave me at school doesn't seem right”  
Chuck called Ellie and asked her to come over alone, he didn't want to overwhelm Sloane with everyone right now, plus they had to get to the store at a decent time and if everyone came over then they would spend hours talking.

“Chuck where are you?” Ellie called out when she walked in the front door  
“Kitchen”  
She gave both men a very confused look when she saw the teenage girl sitting on the counter surrounded by food.   
“So Ellie, I’d like you to meet Sloane, our foster daughter”  
“When did this happen?”  
“Ten minutes ago, give or take”  
“Hello”   
“Nice to meet you, Sloane”  
“We were going to introduce her to everyone tomorrow, but we need to go to the store tonight and she needs girly things and wants your advice, so we will leave you two to talk while we go check her room and see what we need” 

\---------------------------------

“You look really nice Sloane”  
“Thanks, and thanks for letting me wear this pants suit”  
“We will never care what you decide to wear as long as it’s not too revealing”  
“Thanks, you and Chuck have been so amazing, I don’t even know how I got so lucky, honestly at first I thought it was an act because it was all new but nothing has changed and I’m glad”  
“I’m fucking nervous”  
“John Casey doesn’t seem like a nervous man”  
“It’s a new feeling,” he laughed.  
“Should I go check on Chuck? If you’re nervous then he is probably an absolute mess”  
“Yeah, that might be a good idea” he gave her a hug before she left the room.

Sloane knocked on the door to the room Chuck was in.  
“Come in unless you are the groom”  
Sloane opened the door, “Nope, just the foster teen”  
“Woah you look so nice” Chuck couldn’t help but smile.  
“Thanks”  
“SLOW” James yelled as he ran up to her, James has always been a super shy kid and only ever liked being around Alex and Morgan, it was even hard for Morgan sometimes, but ever since he met Sloane he has grown super attached to her.  
“Hello Mr. James” she picked him up “You look so handsome in your little suit and tie”  
“I no like it”  
“But now we match”  
“Otay, I like it”  
Sloane laughed “Hey Chuckster, how are you?”  
“Casey sent you didn’t he?”  
“I volunteered because he was starting to get nervous and I figure if a man like him was nervous then you would be a wreck”  
“Wait, he is nervous?”  
“Nervous happy, not anything bad, but he does look really freaking nice in his tux, blue really is his color”  
“What if he looks too hot and I forget my vows”  
“I’ll help you out buddy” Morgan patted his back. “Now let’s go marry you off”

Casey’s breath hitched at the sight of Chuck walking towards him in his grey suit, arms locked with Mary’s.  
“Take care of my boy John” Mary kissed his cheek.  
He nodded at her.  
Chuck walked over to stand in front of Casey, grabbing his hands.   
“You look amazing Chuck”  
“You too”  
“Okay you two, stop flirting” Morgan interrupted them. “Welcome friends and family to the celebration of two of my best friends. Their story starts back longer than most, see their parents were best friends and bought houses next door so it was destiny that when they both had sons that they would be best friends, even when they grew older and one became the jock who played every sport and the nerd who join mathletes and the chess club they still stayed friends. And even though we all saw the love they had for each other they were both too stupid to realize it” Morgan paused to let people laugh “They chose different paths in life that took them separate ways, but even after all that time apart they were brought back together by fate and even after Chuck lost him memory and had no idea who any of us were, he still knew deep down that he loved John, and that is why we are here today, to finally get these two hitched”  
Casey glared at him.  
“So Johnathan Michael Casey, do you Charles Irving Bartowski to be your husband, forever and always”  
“I do” Casey slid the ring on Chuck’s fingers “I love you, Bartowski, always have, always will”  
“Do you Charles Irving Bartowski take Johnathan Michael Casey to be your husband forever and always?”  
“I do” Chuck slid the ring on to Casey’s finger “Forever”  
“You two may now kiss, but keep it PG, there are kids here”   
“Shut up Grimes” Casey growled   
Chuck grabbed Casey’s face and kissed him, it was a quick one, he pulled back before Casey could deepen it. He grabbed Casey’s hand and held it in the air “Hell yeah” he cheered, making people laugh.   
“I now pronounce you Mr. and Mr. Casey-Bartowski”  
Chuck, still holding tight to Casey’s hand took off running down the aisle and into the big cabin they had rented.  
He didn’t let go of Casey’s hand as he led him up to the master bedroom.

“As good as you look in that suit, get it off”  
“Damn Bartowski”  
“Yeah, it’s been a long week, and I need you so bad”  
“But everyone is here”  
“Everyone is loading up in the vans and heading down the street to the reception, that is what a cocktail hour is for, so we have time to be naughty”  
Casey grabbed Chuck’s tie yanking him back over to him “You’re not going to be able to walk when I’m done with you”  
“Is that a promise?” Chuck winked.   
Casey growled slamming their lips together, their hands getting tangles as they tried to undress each other.  
“Wait, we need to wear these at dinner, let’s be a little more gentle”  
“Then strip for me” Casey sat down on the edge of the bed.  
Chuck blushed “Do you want me to dance or would that be a huge turn off?”  
“After my dad died, I was a dick and pushed you away, but you never gave up on me and you would see me sitting in my room looking sad and you would always do these stupid dances to make me laugh, I’d usually flip you off, but you kept doing it and it always made me smile, even if I closed the curtain before you could see the smile”  
“Sounds like something I would do” Chuck loosened his tie, keeping it tied he pulled it over his head so he wouldn’t have to worry about tying it later, he started shaking his hips to the beat of the music as he slowly undid each button of his shirt, Watching Casey’s eyes follow his hands as they moved down. “I wish teenage me could see this right now”  
“You stripping? That’s weird” Casey smirked  
“No, us, I know I don’t remember that time in my life, but multiple people have told me that I loved you for a long time”  
“I wish things were different between us back then, but I’m glad we have each other now”  
“You think we would be here now if I got my memory back?”  
“You really want to talk about that now? Right before we have sex for the first time as husbands” Casey got up off the bed but yeah I think this is where we were meant to be”  
“I want so bad to remember everything, the good, the bad, all of it, I want those memories of us” A tear fell down Chuck’s cheek “I’m sorry”  
“Please don’t cry”  
“I just ruined our first time”  
“You didn’t, I promise”  
“I blame Morgan, everything he said about us growing up together and loving each other, it hurts not remembering any of it”  
“I know it sucks, and I’ll never know what you’re dealing with, but we have a lifetime to create new memories with our foster kids and the many more we may have in our lifetime”  
“What if it happens again, I still have the intersect, I still use it all the time”  
“Stop, there is no need to think about the what-ifs, just be here in the moment with me, please” he gently kissed him “I’ve waited a long time for this, please don’t take this moment away from me, it wasn’t an easy road for either of us but we beat the odds and we are here we are happy we are married, we are dads”  
“I have to pee” Chuck pushed away from him and went into the on-suit bathroom.  
Casey punched a hole in the wall as he left the room. He grabbed a bottle of scotch and the keys to the rental car and left.

Chuck walked into the party room at the restaurant, everyone cheered, until they realized Chuck was alone and crying “Is he here?’  
“Sweety, what happened?”  
“I fucked up Ellie”  
“John isn’t here”  
“I need to find him”  
“What happened?”  
“I don’t want to talk about it, um uh can you watch Sloane please, make sure everyone gets fed and enjoy the drinks it’s all paid for until midnight”  
Chuck got back in the other rental car and started heading back towards the cabin up to towards the top of the mountain where there was an overlook they found on their first day there. Ellie and Alex packed everyone a picnic and they all ate lunch up there.  
He parked next to the car where Casey was sitting on the hood.

“I’m sorry, I’m so fucking sorry, please forgive me, John, please, I swear I love you, I promise I love you, I promise I’ll never doubt us again and I’ll do my best to not lose my memory. I love you, John, I’m sure I always have and I know I always will”  
Casey handed Chuck the half-empty bottle of scotch then got down off the hood of the car. Chuck watched as Casey opened the car door and turned it on, Chuck thought he was going to leave but all he did was turn on the music and walk back over to Chuck.  
“Dance with me”  
“Let me see your hand first” Chuck grabbed the bloody hand   
“It’s fine”  
“Are we fine”  
“We haven’t signed the certificate yet, you still have time to walk away”  
“That's not what I want at all, I promise John, I want to be married to you, I want the spend forever with you, please”  
“Dance with me” Casey used his phone to change the song.  
Chuck wrapped his arms around Casey’s neck, Casey grabbed his hips   
“This is the song we sang to each other as we danced next to the fire on prom night, you ran away and I chased you, then we dry humped each other until we came in our pants”  
“I remember you telling me about that but you never mentioned the song”  
“I was going to play it tonight at the reception and tell you the story”  
“I’m sorry”  
“Just stop talking”

When the song finished Chuck had a stream of tears falling down his cheeks.   
“I love you Chuck, but I can’t do this if you are having second thoughts then I will give you the space you need to figure it out”  
“I’m in this John, I’m sorry I panicked, I’m sorry I doubted it, I want to grow old with you, I wanna raise tons of kids with you, I want to wake up every day with you and I want to kiss you one hundred times a day, I want us to share a last name, I want to have stupid little arguments with you about what to have for dinner every night or whose turn it is to do a chore. I’ve never once had second thoughts about us”  
“Want to consummate this marriage in the backseat of the rental car?”  
“What if we get caught?”  
“Then we will have a fun story to tell the grandkids one day”  
“Gross”  
Casey pulled a tissue from his pocket and wiped the tears from Chuck’s face “I’ll never understand what you are dealing with, and I’m sorry that I left when you needed me, I promise that I will always be there for you”  
“Can you promise to not punch holes in the wall?”  
“I’ll do my best” he smirked

“Hi” Casey whispered in Chuck’s ear as he wrapped his arms around him.   
Chuck hummed pressing back into him “Welcome home”  
“I’m starting to like this stay at home dad thing you got going on, coming home after a long day to a home cooked meal” Casey’s hand ran up under the front of Chuck’s shirt “But I missed you at the bookstore today”  
“I missed you too” Chuck turned around to face him, Casey’s hand staying under his shirt slid down so his fingers were under the waistband of his jeans.   
“Can dinner wait a little?”  
“Don’t care, I’d rather have you. If it burns we can order pizza” Chuck’s fingers gripped the hair on the back of Casey’s head pulling him into a kiss.

“Oh my god gross” Sloane fake gagged   
“Shit” Casey quickly pulled his hands out of the back of Chuck’s pants  
“I’m so sorry” Chuck blushed, “I thought you were going to be at Alex’s all night?”  
“James wanted milk and the gallon they had was expired so we came over to get some, I didn’t know you two would be doing gross things in the kitchen”  
“We have milk, take whatever you need”  
“Next time I’ll knock”  
“Hi Uncle Case” James ran over and hugged Casey’s leg.  
“Hey buddy” he picked him up. “Are you having fun with Sloane?”  
“Slow let me have dino nuggies with honey and we are going to make cookies”  
“Wow that sounds like fun, can you save us some cookies?”  
“Maybe, mommy might eat them all when she comes home tomorrow cause the baby in her belly makes her want to eat everything”  
Chuck and Casey laughed. “Well when she gets home the baby won’t be in her belly anymore”  
“Oh no,” James stuck his bottom lip out.  
“No, no, no, don’t cry” Chuck rubbed his back, she will have the baby but she will be out of her belly and you will be able to see her and hold her and play with her”  
“Yay,” James clapped. “I want to play cars with baby Willa”  
“She won’t be able to play cars right away, but I bet when she gets a bit older she will play cars with you”  
“Okay James, let’s get back to your house and let uncle Chuck and Casey eat their burnt chicken”  
“Good night kids”  
“Goodnight dads” Sloane smiled at them.

“We should probably take the chicken out of the oven, it smells horrible”  
“You go upstairs, order a pizza then take your clothes off, I’ll clean this up and meet you up there, let’s see if we can get off before the pizza gets here” Chuck winked.

\-------------------------------------------

“Sloane, we need to talk”  
“Uh, no thanks” she put down her spoon “I knew the ice cream was a trick”  
“There is no trick”  
“Nothing good comes from we need to talk”   
Chuck tried to speak but was fighting off tears. “Casey can you”  
“Crap, I have to leave, don’t I? I know it’s been just under a year and that's a long time for a foster so I understand”  
Casey grabbed her and gave it a light squeeze, “You’re right, you will no longer our foster”  
“It’s fine, I promise”  
“Stop talking” Casey teased “You’re as bad as Chuck, what I was saying is that your adoption papers came today”  
Sloane stood up quickly making the chair she was sitting in fall over. “Are you serious?”  
“If you’ll have us as your dads, we would love to adopt you”  
“Yes, yes one hundred times yes, holy shit, um sorry”  
“You get a pass this one time” Casey smirked  
“Now you just need to decide if you want to take our last name”  
“Yeah, I want to have your last name, I don’t like my last name and the people it represents, wait” She picked up the chair “What did my parents say?”  
“They gave up their rights before soon after you got here, we told Cindy that we were interested in adopting you before we left for the wedding”  
“You guys wanted to keep me after only a week?”  
“No, we knew that first night”  
“I don’t even know what to say, I’m so happy” a tear fell down her cheek “I never thought” Chuck got up and hugged her, then Casey joined in “We love you Sloane” he kissed the top of her head. “And if you want to legally change your first name to Sloane you can do that too when we change your last name”  
“Dada Chuck, I heard a loud noise”  
“I’m sorry Jer” Sloane went over and picked up the toddler “I got really excited and I knocked over the chair”  
Jeremy and Zachary were the five-year-old twins that they started fostering a few months ago, Cindy called them in the middle of the night telling them twin boys needed a somewhere to stay for the weekend while they tried to find them a foster home but Chuck and Casey agreed to keep them for as long as they needed. Having twin toddler boys was a lot harder than they thought, but also a lot of fun.   
Over the year they have had Sloane they have had three other foster kids, a newborn baby girl with no name that they only had for five days, Sloane named her Bria, a three-year-old little girl named Elaina who stayed with them for just over two months and then there was Travis, a sixteen-year-old boy, Casey did his best to use some of his military training to try and get him in line but it didn't work, they ended up having to call and get him removed from their care after he stabbed Sloane with a fork and she had to stitches in her arm. It was very scary and they felt horrible that they let someone in their house that hurt her.  
“I’ll take you back upstairs and read you a book” Chuck held out his arms, taking Jeremy from her. “Sloane, you go finish your ice cream so you can get to bed too”

“So do you want to legally change your middle name too?” When Sloane came live with them she told them her legal name was Stephanie and she didn’t like it, so when she was ten she asked her parents to call her Sloane but of course they didn’t.  
“I think I’ll stick with Elizabeth, I like it, and it makes me feel more connected to your family, even though it was my middle name before I feel like it has meaning now”  
“Sloane Elizabeth Casey-Bartwoski sounds great”  
“I love it, but I have one other request”  
“No, we are not getting another dog”  
Sloane laughed “I’d rather have a snake”  
“Do the research and present your research to me and we will decide then”  
“I was kind of joking, but I’ll start working on that tomorrow”  
“Homework first”   
“Obviously, but for real, can we keep Jer and Zac?”  
“We already talked to Cindy about it, we had to wait till yours was finalized before we applied.”  
"Thank you for everything you do, not only for me but for all the kids you have fostered and will foster"

After Chuck got the twins back to sleep and they sat and talked to Sloane for a little bit before she went to bed they went out back and laid in their hammock.   
"And to think, this all happened because the nerd fell in love with the jock next door"


End file.
